


Sweat Sweet Fate

by Falainakorna



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adventure, Angst, F/M, Fem!Neji, Genderbending, Hurt/Comfort, Male!Tenten, Minor Original Character(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-11 07:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7035505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falainakorna/pseuds/Falainakorna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fate has so many paths and all of them are uncertain. People are marked as failures, geniuses, prodigies, avengers, nuisances, etc. But as it's been said before, it is uncertain and it has many up's and down's. People change. So does fate? Sasu/Fem!Neji</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Blind Reaper

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hi. Well, this actually is my first time writing in English since it isn’t my mother language, so I’ll ask you to be merciful. Any kind of constructive criticism will be gratefully received, but I’m only asking for not flames. If you don’t like it stop reading, but please do not make mean comments. Thank you for giving a chance to my story and reading it.
> 
> A/N 2: There will only be two genderbending cases: Neji and Tenten, since the gennin squads are integrated by two men and a woman.
> 
> Disclaimer: As much as I’d like to own Naruto I don’t, but I’m grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could’ve created Naruto as amazing as it is.

Neji stayed still for a fraction of time before widening her eyes. Her hand which was groping the chopsticks fisted around them, her knuckles turning white. Sasuke regretted asking when he heard the clattering of the chopsticks falling unceremoniously on the table. Was she going to leave?

Neji's hands raised…and Sasuke wondered if she was so angry that she would try to attack him. He prepared to dodge the gentle fist which she would probably attack him with, but it never came. He looked at her, and in bewilderment, saw her slowly beginning to unbandage her forehead.

First, the girl untied her hitai-ate and placed it on top of the table, then the bandages began to fall, slowly. Sasuke's heart was pondering hard in his chest. She really was going to reveal to him what was hiding under her bandages. He was so immersed on the falling bandages that didn't notice when the forehead was at sight.

Sasuke's gaze slowly raised till he was looking at the forehead. His lips parted slightly at the sight. On the creamy skin, tattooed, was a bright green symbol. It highly resembled a swastika but it had tiny hook-like curvatures at the ends, two lines curved in the inside, at the beginning and end stood at each side -flanking it- of the symbol.

He thought she would be hiding some kind of scar, or maybe another secret Kekkei Genkai but the possibility of what was hidden –being covered- by those bandages was a tattoo, never crossed his mind. A second though crossed the Uchiha's mind. Since he had met her she had always worn those bandages, besides, without a parent's authorization it was prohibited to minors –or lower ranked than gennin- to make a tattoo, and if she loathed it so much to cover it, then…it was not just a simple tattoo. He wanted to ask but was not able to find the words.

It wasn't necessary though, the girl explained herself.

"It's what distinguishes us, the Branch Members. They –the Main Branch- mark us like… cattle," Her gaze was fixated on the table, her hands in fists, the knuckles white and her forearms' veins popping slightly from the strain. "but that's not enough. It is said that the Side Branch's purpose is to protect the Main Branch –the strongest Hyugas or so they say- but they don't realize, or more like don't care, that the name the Hyuga's have bestowed themselves is all thanks to the Branch House's efforts. Main Branch. They take the laurels gained with the Bouke's hard effort without lifting a finger." The bitterness and mocking in her voice were palpable as well as resentment and hate. "And we can't complain. If we do" she poked her own forehead with the index finger, right in the middle. "they use this as a torture device of sorts. It forces the chakra in our own body to release shocks which close and open the tenketsu around our brain." She laughed dryly.

Sasuke's expression was one of complete, utterly disbelief. He was completely mute, not knowing what to say. The girl seemed to notice his predicament.

"You don't need to say anything. Your pity will only insult me. That's why I'm working that hard. I want to prove them what the Bouke really is." She finished. Sasuke looked at her and noticed that she had broken the chopsticks in a half. She followed his gaze and dropped them –again.

"Sorry, I'll replace them." Neji muttered mildly surprised, that denoting she hadn't even noticed when they broke. She was trying too hard to steady her already agitated breathing by taking deep breaths.

"Don't worry." He said standing up and grabbing another pair of chopsticks from the cabinet. Then, he returned to his place and handed her the new chopsticks' pair.

They sat and stared in silence at their food in silence.

"So…how's the Academy?" Neji asked trying to break the tense atmosphere.

Sasuke smirked a little.

"Annoying."

Neji chuckled a bit and nodded.

"I know…Or knew since I'm not a student anymore." She added.

"I am counting my days for graduation. Then, fewer steps will be left." Sasuke stated. The unspoken promise being left on the air. Fewer steps for revenge. Fewer steps for killing Itachi.

Neji didn't say anything and instead continued eating her tuna. Soon Sasuke followed her example.

"You know, I think you'll get your revenge. All our fates are set in stone, and I think yours will be as you desire." She said confident but with a small tinge of melancholy on her eyes.

"So do I. I made a promise and I rather die trying than break it." Since the first time they've met, that was the first time he had talked so openly about his self-bestowed mission.

Neji was silent, but paying her full attention to the boy across the table.

"To be honest, I still love Itachi." Sasuke said staring at the window. His gaze was fixated on some point outside, but he wasn't really looking. He was lost in his memories. "That's what makes me hate him more. For Kami-sama, sometimes I even think of him as my Aniki."

Neji didn't had any siblings…or maybe she had…a long time ago, before her father's death. Hinata. The wimp.

Neji looked at Sasuke, and he was already eating his food. He had closed the topic. She wasn't anyone to complain.

The rest of the meal went on smoothly. As they were few words individuals, they barely talked, but when they did they spoke of trivial things as the Academy, or in Neji's case, her new team.

"They're a pair of losers." She spat.

Both were sitting barefoot at the lake's shore, refreshing their feet on the water.

"The first one cannot use any ninjutsu. At all. He barely made it into the Academy and ended dead last. He barely passed. Such a poor excuse of ninja." Were her cold words.

"Hn. He kinda reminds me of Naruto. Always bragging about how good he is when he's the worst." Sasuke scoffed.

Neji cringed at the thought. At least Rock Lee didn't brag about everything.

"The other one, he's really smart. Nothing outstanding since he ended being fifth best, but in everything else he's either bad or normal." She said picking on the grass blades.

"What's the grass fault you've been paired up with wimps?" Sasuke teased picking a blade Neji had plucked out and twirling it between his fingers. She let out a soft laugh.

A soft breeze moved the grass and made the girl's long hair and Sasuke's bangs wave.

"It's getting late, I'll better be heading home." Neji said looking up at the sky and standing up.

"Wait a little more. From this spot, sunset looks enhancing." Sasuke retorted, grabbing her hand, and pulling her down.

Neji's eyes slightly widened momentarily before setting on the ground again.

They sat in silence, the only noise being the breathing of each other and the occasional chirp of a bird. Then, the sun began to set behind the trees.

At first, it looked like any other sunset. Beautiful, but ordinary. Then the colors began to slowly dance on the lake's crystal surface. Alluring shadows started being projected by the majestic trees surrounding them. Some as old as the Uchiha themselves, their leaves once green, burning with the sunset colors. Every single wave on the lake reflecting tones of orange, red, yellow and mixes of those.

Neji's eyes were widened in wonder, her eyes eager to grasp every detail of that majestic scene and storing it into her memory.

Some birds flew away, free across the sky. Their brownish feathers shining with orange tones. The Hyuga watched them with longing part away. Now Sasuke knew the reason. He didn't knew what to do, so he did what she had done for him some years ago. Embraced her in a hug.

At first, she stiffened for an instant but then relaxed. He smelled fresh, and she supposed he had taken a bath while she was buying the food. Then she realized she would be smelling of sweat since she had been out in the heat just after an avid training/sparring session. She waved the thought away and focused her attention again on the scene before her.

They stayed like that all the spectacle's duration.

When all that was left were shadows, they broke apart. Looking into each other's eyes.

"Sasuke." She said. Sasuke kept staring at her, a simple sign that he was listening.

"You're my only friend. Please don't leave me alone." She requested a pleading glint in her eyes.

"I promise. You know I rather die than break my promises." Sasuke said, raising his pinky. That was a gesture his mother used to do when she promised him something. Whether it was something trivial like buying him an ice cream, or something as important as promising to attend his shuriken demonstration. She never broke a promise and neither would he.

"I'll always be there if you need me, 'kay Sasuke?" She said holding up her pinky too.

They intertwined them and shook them as a way of signing their promise.

The pair laid a little on the fresh grass watching the slowly resurfacing stars, each of them thinking of several things, but coinciding on one. That'd be their last time together. Their reunions were secret also because Neji was a branch and she knew secret techniques from the Souke, so if they knew they had been training together she may be punished being accused of venting the clan's secret techniques to foreign entities. Sasuke didn't when would be the next time they held a conversation…as friends. But if he had a quality it was patience.

Half an hour later, when no light except the moon and stars shining upon the dark night's cloak was visible, Neji stood up, thanked Sasuke for the evening, and left for her home.

"We'll talk sooner than you think, Uchiha." She said before parting towards the Bouke compound.

Sasuke stayed a little bit more outside, enjoying the fresh air and the trees' murmur.

He entered his house, finished his bathroom's rituals and went to his closet in search of his pajamas.

The Uchiha pulled out a loose dark blue cotton shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back. Then he searched for some shorts. He really needed to order his clothes. Where there once were the clothes all folded or hung now they were on the closet's floor, or some piled over each other. Well, he could order it any other day. Now he wanted to sleep.

Sasuke began searching through the clothes pile for his shorts when he felt another texture. He pulled it out and stared at it. Still beige, still warm. It only was little dusty. The jacket Neji had given him when they met. Sasuke stared at it warmly for a little and then shoved it again under the clothes.

Finally, he found them. Folded on the top shelve. Sasuke almost wanted to facepalm himself. He slid in them and finally slumped in his bed, letting out a content sigh and falling into Morpheus' realms.


	2. Sharing-bento

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.

The next day Sasuke rushed after school towards the spot where he had slept last Friday.

He tried remembering the path he had taken last time as he passed the numerous houses until they began fading as he neared the forest. When he crossed the space where Naruto had been, he found himself being disappointed by the blonde's absence. Sasuke shook his head as if trying to wipe those thoughts away. Hn. He should be happy –'should' being the key word. Setting those thoughts on the back of his mind he successfully found the clearing.

Sasuke sat under the tree where they had fallen asleep last Friday and only had to wait about five minutes for Neji. She was wearing her usual attire and was holding a small plastic bag in one hand.

"Hi" he greeted her not really knowing how to act around her. She gave him in response a short nod. Sasuke wasn't much of a conversation type but right now he had an idea of how annoying he was to people with his curt nods and 'Hn's'.

"And…how old are you?" Sasuke asked in an attempt of conversation.

Neji, who was tying bullseyes on the trees, turned around facing him with a stoic expression rather unusual for a 10-year-old.

"I'm 10 and…I assume you are 9, right?" she questioned the Uchiha.

"Hai" Sasuke had a good idea of what they would be doing since he had already seen –Itachi- someone doing it but anyways he asked. "Are we going to practice shuriken?"

"Something like that." She said smirking. "You'll try to hit the bullseye and I'm going to try to block them with the chakra on my hands…" she reached for a brown blindfold "and my eyes blindfolded."

Sasuke was surprised and honestly wondered how she could stop the shuriken with chakra.

"Neji." He called. She finished tying the blindfold and faced him. "Yes?"

"How are you going to block the shuriken?" Sasuke asked grabbing some from his ninja pouch.

He seemed to have mentioned a good subject since she actually smiled.

"You know what us Hyugas have?" she asked positioning herself in the middle of the clearing.

Sasuke tried remembering what his father had told him about Konoha's clans. The Inuzukas' had dogs –that was quite easy-, the Naras' had shadows and he couldn't remember very well the other clans but he did remembered the Hyugas' had the Byakugan. They had a Doujutsu just like the Uchihas' but he didn't had an idea of what that Byakugan could do.

"You have the Byakugan."

"And do you know what it does?"

"No." he said throwing a shuriken towards the furthest from the girl's reach bullseye. Neji's smile accentuated morphing into a smirk. She extended her palm and when the shuriken was inches away from piercing her hand's skin it suddenly was pushed away falling on the ground.

"The Byakugan allows us to see through the chakra network at a more intricate level than the Sharingan." She began explaining, her stance relaxed waiting for Sasuke's next attempt.

Sasuke grabbed this time two shuriken aiming them towards considerably long distant between themselves points.

The girl with her palm easily deflected the one nearer but with the other one, she almost failed. Her aloof movements were surprisingly swift for someone with their eyes blindfolded. Sasuke wondered how good she really was.

"It also facilitates us chakra control which comes as normal as breathing for us, therefore I can expel chakra from any tenketsu on my body. That's how I can deflect the shuriken without touching them." She finished explaining.

Sasuke was amazed. When he had first met her he had obviously known she was strong, but not actually that strong to actually being at his level or even surpass him. He hadn't noticed until that moment that they were quite similar. Their attitudes were cool and they did not wasted words –and they both were orphans seeking for revenge.

"Can all Hyugas' do that?" Sasuke asked mildly amused while throwing another four shuriken. This time she missed one, the shuriken hitting in the death center. Even after missing one her smirk accentuated.

"Yes. Every Hyuga above 14 years." She answered him, a tinge of arrogance in her voice.

This time Sasuke smirked.

"So you're a genius." He stated after adding one more shuriken. Sasuke himself was considered a genius, not like Itachi, but still a genius. Again, she missed one but her smirk not faltering.

"I guess you could call me that, but you are also one." Neji commented. Sasuke chuckled a bit at what he already knew.

"I guess." They both dropped into their respective stances and continued with the training, a small smile playing on their lips.

The evening continued that way until Sasuke could throw ten shuriken at once aiming for dead center or awfully close to it the center and Neji could stop almost every one of them.

Neji was sitting crossed legged in the shade of the tree, sipping from her water bottle when Sasuke wondered if the feeling he was having was how it must feel having a friend. He sat beside her, finding himself admiring the long and thick lashes who were fluttering while the Hyuga was drinking water. He touched his own lashes noticing his were long too. He remembered his mother's lashes were long too, but the longest he'd ever seen were Shisui's and…Itachi's.

He really missed his family, and he wanted a friend. Sure, he had fangirls, but all of them only liked him because of their idea of him: a cool guy with good looks. He did not wanted to feel alone anymore.

"Neji." He muttered. The girl opened her white eyes, looked at him and gave him a nod indicating him to continue.

"Are you…my friend?" he asked blushing a crimson red. Sasuke looked at the ground embarrassed. After spending one afternoon with her, he already knew she was a stoic girl of few words but that did not meant that he didn't wished to be her friend. In fact, she was the first person he wanted to be friends with though he was truly scared of rejection.

Neji was astonished and if Sasuke had been looking he would have seen an event seen once in a millennium. She was gaping at him, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly parted. She hadn't ever had a friend.

"Do you want to be my friend?" she asked in response. With her 'talk to me and you're dead' attitude no one had ever wanted to befriend her, or if they wanted they hadn't dared to do it.

Sasuke looked at her and nodded, his face emotionless as always but with a nice pink color tinging his cheeks.

"Well, then I suppose we are friends, but… I am going to be honest with you. I've never had a friend so I don't know what friends do…" Neji muttered slightly ashamed for the first time of her lack of social skills.

"You're also my first friend." Sasuke interrupted smiling slightly. She watched him in astonishment.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Sasuke asked beginning to feel uncomfortable. He had never appreciated people staring at him, but with all the fangirls –stalkers- he had learned to ignore it. However, when a pair of white pupilless eyes were staring right at him he couldn't help to feel a little unnerved.

The girl turned away flustered.

"Well, it's just that since…you know, you're an Uchiha, I thought you'd be loaded with friends." She simply responded.

Sasuke shrugged.

"I've never been the 'social type'."

"Neither have I." the girl mused aloud.

Neji nodded and took out her bento. There were some sashimi and two pieces of tempura accompanied with some fried rice. She sat crossed legged and broke her chopsticks. Neji was about to begin eating when she noticed Sasuke staring hungrily –in a discrete manner- at her bento box.

"Where's your lunch?" the Hyuga girl asked a bit concerned.

"Well, I kind of forgot… you see, my mom was the one who used to prepare them for me…" Sasuke trailed off. Since last week when he had returned to school, he hadn't been bringing his lunch. The only thing he knew how to cook was rice and that was on what he had been feeding on since he was released from the hospital. His thoughts were stopped abruptly when he noticed the bento box under his nose.

Sasuke stared at it surprised and then at Neji.

The girl handed him her chopsticks encouraging him to eat.

"B-but it's your lunch…" Sasuke complained pushing the bento away.

"I'm not really hungry, really. Besides, I'll be eating when I arrive home." She said shaking her head and handing him again the food. Sasuke insisted. Neji shot him an annoyed look and set the bento on the floor.

"Listen, when I…lost my father, I was four. I did not knew how to feed myself, and the first five months I survived by what the maids gave me, then, for three months I was feeding only on rice and eggs that I was ushered to learn how to cook." Sasuke looked at Neji surprised for her telling him something so personal taking into consideration they had just met some days ago, but at the same time, he felt some connection. "Until I was five I learned how to cook myself something decent." Her expression was blank, but when she turned at him her eyes were filled with longing.

"Just eat, okay?" she said and shoved him the bento on his lap.

Sasuke stared at the bento a long time before picking the chopsticks and hesitantly took a little bit of sashimi accompanied with a little of rice. The flavors lingered on his tongue longer than necessary, and he became aware of one, how hungry he was, and two, how much he missed the flavor on the food. If only there was some tomato…

Sasuke finished the bento quicker than expected, and for once, forgetting his Uchiha manners. Once he was finished, the boy handed Neji the empty bento box and thanked her.

The newly-befriended pair spared a little bit until it was time to go back to their respective houses. Sasuke didn't had anyone waiting for him at home and did not wanted to return there. To that empty compound. In change, Neji, as every child of the branch house, had a curfew thought it only applied from Mondays to Thursdays.

Sasuke and Neji bid their goodbyes and left the clearing with a smile on their faces. 'I'll bring you tomorrow a basic cooking book I have, okay? And if we have spare time I'll try to explain it.' had been Neji's words. He couldn't wait to learn how to cook other than rice.

When Sasuke arrived at his empty house, he took a shower, dined –plain rice-, and laid on his bed recalling all the events of that day. If he had known that having a friend was such a pleasant experience he would have had searched for one long ago.

When Neji arrived at the Bouke's residence at 9:00 sharp –her curfew- she was sporting a tiny –yet not invisible- smile. The guard on the gate greeted her, but when she actually returned the greeting and he noticed the grin, saying he was left astonished was an understatement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hits? Kudos? Comments ;)


	3. The Ghostly Compound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: As much as I’d like to own Naruto I don’t, but I’m grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could’ve created Naruto as amazing as it is.

"So…you've finally become a gennin." Sasuke smirked at his friend who now was sporting a brand new Konoha headband on her forehead. Over the last two years, she had started wearing bandages around her arm or leg aside from the forehead ones and a weapons pouch.

"Yes, and in a year you will also." She answered. They were leaning on the same tree where they had hugged each other two years ago. Both of them had just finished earlier a training session. The last one.

"Top of the class, I suppose." Sasuke remarked what he already knew. He was absolutely sure that that would only boost her already high ego though he needed to confirm it.

Neji smirked arrogantly and nodded.

"You suppose well, and when you graduate I hope you also do it on top." The girl reminded him smugly.

"Tch. How low faith you have on me" Sasuke scoffed feigning hurt, still sporting his smirk. Even being the stoic beings they were, between each other they actually joked –even if it was almost every new moon.

Neji shook her head with a small smirk playing on her lips. Her all-seeing-eyes were closed and her arms were in their usual crossed position.

"You know this will be our last session, right?" Neji suddenly commented. Her breathing was steady but her permanent frown was in place.

Sasuke's smirk transformed into a scowl.

"Yes. Since you now are gennin you'll be busy with missions, training, and all that stuff." Sasuke said, repeating the words Neji had pronounced two months ago.

"Since this is our last training session I'll take you out for lunch." She stated walking away.

Sasuke nodded and followed her. They already understood perfectly the message the other wished to transmit within the lack of words. As when Neji proposed something and immediately trailed away, it was a sign of 'follow-me', or when Sasuke sat under the tree and closed his eyes leaning his chin on his folded hands, was a sign of him wanting to talk –which happened rarely.

"Well, you know these meetings are to be kept secret, so…do you know someplace where people won't find us?" Neji asked him while they were walking out of the clearing.

Sasuke thought of it for a moment. The ramen shop was discarded. The dobe and almost everyone went there since it was in front of the Hokage Tower. The dango shop was in front of the gates –and it reminded him of Itachi- so everyone could see them. He began repassing all over his head the places where they could eat but he knew none.

"Well, you know about my situation so…how about you go and buy some food and I cook some in my house. Then we meet there." He suggested.

"I have never been in your house, Sasuke. I don't know where it is." The Hyuga girl reminded him. They had arrived at the forest's outskirts.

Sasuke gave her his house's direction and they parted ways. Even if they had been friends for over two years, as a part of their agreement on making their friendship a secret, they hadn't ever gone to each other's houses.

It certainly was a sunny day as most at Konoha, but this one resembled Suna's weather. The center was crowded. Women wearing summer dresses, or tank-tops and shorts and flip-flops, children running around sporting shorts and men Bermuda shorts. The human heat everybody around her was radiating wasn't helping either.

Neji was walking through Konoha streets when she spotted her new teammates. Rock Lee and Tenten were chatting outside the restaurant she was heading for. She stopped in her tracks debating herself between going there or searching for another restaurant. However Sasuke had told her that the money his family had left him was managed by the Hokage, and clothes and food were bought by gennin on missions so he couldn't touch his money 'til he was 18 or ninja, and he wanted to try that place's food. So she made a decision. She placed her best indifference mask and rushed inside the establishment hoping no one to notice her. No such luck.

"Oh, Neji-chan! My youthful new teammate. The flower of our new team!" Rock Lee exclaimed and she inwardly cringed. She continued approaching the counter trying to ignore the overjoyed shouts. But that day luck wasn't on her side.

She turned around to see Lee waving at her and Tenten pretending not to know him. Lee had his black hair braided and Tenten his breast-long hair tied into a ponytail with a bang over his face. She turned away and focused on what she had initially come to do.

"Good afternoon, sir." She greeted politely to the young man on the counter. He was a young man –or probably a teenager- with brown hair and honey eyes. He looked bored to death and it seemed he was slowly dozing off.

"Good afternoon, how can I help you?" he asked a little startled shaking his head as if wearing off the somnolence. He leaned on the counter a little to see her better.

"Could you please give me two orders of… skipjack tuna, to take please." She had never gone into a restaurant before since at the Hyuga household there were all the ingredients for one to cook their own food, so she said what she supposed was said.

"Would you like something to accompany them? We have rice balls, fried rice-"

"Rice balls, please."

After she paid for the meal she only had to wait. Neji sat a nearby empty table, but to her misfortune, Lee hadn't gone yet and approached her.

"Neji-chan! What brings you here to this excellent food establishment where we can-"

"Lee, shut up." Tenten scolded him smacking him on the head. The taller boy was looking at Neji in an apologizing way.

"Excuse me but I have to get going." She bowed and rushed for another table to wait, ending sitting on a table in front of the girls' restrooms much to her dismay.

"Mrs. Hyuga, your order is ready!" The counter man said her.

She bowed, muttered a 'thank you' for the food, and headed towards her next stop. When she rushed outside she noticed Lee and Tenten weren't in sight. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.

The market was packed and it being a sunny day didn't help much. She was sweating and her hair was sticking to the back of her neck. She finally got tired and tied it into an upper ponytail. Then she took off her jacket and tied it around her waist and proceed to the fruits' stand.

An old lady with her white hair tied into a bun was in charge and a boy around her age with sandy hair and a ninja protector on his neck–who seemed to be the woman's grandson- was being bossed around by the lady.

"Tamaki-chan, weight this watermelon!" "Tamaki-chan, receive the change!" "Tamaki-chan, pick up that apple!" "Tamaki-chan, isn't that young lady pretty? Go help her." Was what she heard. The boy complained but his grandma pushed him towards her.

"Err…Good afternoon, how can I help you?" Tamaki asked her with a blush and looking at the ground embarrassed of his grandmother's antics.

"Good afternoon, could you give me 10 tomatoes, please." She asked politely, her expression blank.

The boy quickly went to his grandmother, and the woman picked the tomatoes.

"Ask her name, Tamaki-chan." The woman 'whispered' while giving him the tomato bag.

"No! I don't want to." He complained a little bit louder. People were starting to stare at the odd granny.

"If you don't, I'll go ask her and introduce you. Do you want me to do that?" The grandma threatened. She surely was persistent.

The boy only whimpered slightly and looked horrified at his grandma. He spared a last glare at his granny and approached Neji with the tomatoes bag.

"It would be 126 ryo." He said to Neji. The Hyuga was inwardly scoffing at the granny's antics.

She paid him and was about to walk away when the boy asked her.

"Ehem…excuse me, but…what is your name?" Neji just stared at him unperturbed with her aloof attitude. The boy looked back at his grandma who gave him a threatening glance. He looked at Neji and back at his grandma not knowing what to say 'til he spoke. "Name's… Sekonda Tamaki."

Any other day she would just leave but this day she was determined to bury deep her bitter self and spend it happily, and she had heard his grandma's threaten so she had pity on him.

"Hyuga Neji." And with that, she left.

The market was more packed than when she had first arrived, so it was a tad more difficult with all the people there. However, at the end, she managed to get out through the civilians horde.

She followed Sasuke's instructions and arrived at the ex-Konoha police headquarters. The Uchiha crest stood proudly on the abandoned building, and Neji remembered some class with Mizuki-sensei where it had been talked that the Uchiha were the founders of the Konoha police.

She continued until she arrived at the outskirts of what looked like a small village –no, compound- and a big open gate with the Uchiha crest on top of it. Sasuke had told her that his house was the one at the very end, she only had to walk in straight line.

Neji remembered when she was younger and her older cousins used to try to scare her with ghost tales of dead Hyugas who came back after dead, or ghost desert villages. When she was four those stories hadn't scared her, but now she felt as if she was inside one of them. A dead silence reigned over the compound. The window crystals were darkened with a thick layer of dust on them. Old shop announcements were yellow for the time and the same atmosphere continued all along the compound. Neji questioned herself if such a massacre ever occurred to the Hyugas', the compounds would look like that after a few years. The own thought made her cringe.

Neji finally arrived at the end of the street where a house slightly bigger than the rest stood. It looked kind of rusty, but with her ninja trained hearing, she could hear some movement on some part of the house.

She grabbed the knocker and…well, knocked the door twice.

The Hyuga heard footstep approaching the door, and a second later it opened revealing Sasuke. He had changed his ninja attire into comfy black shorts and a loose navy blue shirt. When he saw her a tiny smile formed on his lips.

"Glad you made it."

She 'Hn' ed', took off her shoes and walked inside. Neji followed Sasuke to the kitchen where he indicated her where to set the bags. The kitchen wasn't a big one. It was painted a soft peach color with a darker tone on the edges. It was considerably cooler than outside and Neji let a relief sigh escape her lips.

"It's very hot outside, isn't it?" Sasuke said noticing how some hair tresses were sticking to the girl's pale face which was flushed.

"Awfully." Was her answer as she rinsed her hands. Her eyes slowly began taking in every detail in the place while taking out the food. She stood up and went to the sink to wash the tomatoes. Once she was finished she asked Sasuke for a knife and a cutting board. She began cutting the tomatoes into thin slices before cutting them all over again in smaller pieces. She asked Sasuke for a bowl, and once it was in her possession she emptied the tomatoes there.

Sasuke was carrying some plates, chopsticks, and teacups to the table. Neji took that as her cue to begin placing the food on the plates. The Uchiha went to the stove and returned with a steaming kettle. He poured green tea on them and sat seiza style, Neji mimicking him. They both thanked for the food, broke their chopsticks and bean eating in utter silence.

The silence was comfortable and the food delicious though Sasuke was flickering his eyes between the girl across the table and his food. Neji had also noticed the stares but kept her mouth shut. Finally, after some other glances, she spoke.

"Is something the matter?" she asked, her eyes pinning Sasuke's. The Uchiha held her stare without flinching but hesitation was written all over his face.

"I've been wanting to ask you something for some time now…May I?" he questioned, surprisingly asking for permission instead of just shooting the question. Neji stared at him confusion denoting on her eyes 'till she nodded.

They had stopped eating. Sasuke placed his chopsticks on the table and locked their gazes. He thought –was sure- it was a touchy subject, but now he might never be able to talk to her again or at least in a very long time, and he needed to know. They were friends after all.

"What do you hide under your bandages?" he asked cautiously.


	4. Pinky Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the grammatical mistakes. I swer I'm doing my best :)

Neji stayed still for a fraction of time before widening her eyes. Her hand who was groping the chopsticks fisted round them, her knuckles turning white. Sasuke regretted asking when he heard the clattering of the chopsticks falling unceremoniously on the table. Was she going to leave?

Neji's hands raised…and Sasuke wondered if she was that angry she would try to attack him. He prepared to dodge the gentle fist which she might probably attack him with, but it never came. He looked at her, and in bewilderment he saw her slowly beginning to unbandage her forehead.

First she untied her hitai-ate and placed it on top of the table, then the bandages began falling. Sasuke's heart was pondering hard in his chest. She really was going to reveal to him what was hiding under her bandages. He was so immersed on the falling bandages that he didn't noticed when the forehead was at sight.

Sasuke's gaze slowly raised till he was looking at the forehead. His lips parted slightly at the sight. On the creamy skin, tattooed, was a bright green symbol. It highly resembled a swastika but it had tiny hook-like curvatures at the ends, two lines curved in the inside at the beginning and end stood at each side, flanking it, of the symbol.

He thought she would be hiding some kind of scar, or maybe some kind of another secret Kekkei Genkai but the possibility of what was hiding –being covered- by those bandages was a tattoo, never crossed his mind. A second though crossed the Uchiha's mind. Since he had met her she had always wore those bandages besides without a parent's authorization it was prohibited to minors –or lower ranked than gennin- to make a tattoo, and if she loathed it so much to cover it, then…it was not just a simple tattoo. He wanted to ask, but he didn't found the words.

It wasn't necessary, the girl explained herself.

"It's what distinguishes us, the Branch Members. They –the Main Branch- mark us like cattle," Her gaze was fixated on the table, her hands in fists, the knuckles white and her forearms' veins popping from the strain. "but that's not enough. It is said that the Main Branch's purpose is to protect the Main House –the strongest Hyugas- but they don't realize that the name the Hyuga's have bestowed themselves is all thanks to the Branch House's efforts. Main Branch. They take the laurels gained with the Bouke's hard effort without lifting a finger." The bitterness and mocking on her voice was palpable as well as resentment, and hate. "And we can't complain. If we do" she poked her own forehead with the index finger, right on the middle. "they use this as a torture devise. It forces the chakra in our own body releases shocks which close and open the tenketsu around our brain." She laughed dryly.

Sasuke's expression was one of complete, utterly disbelief. He was completely mute, not knowing what to say. The girl seemed to notice his predicament.

"You don't need to say anything. Your pity will only insult me, that's why I'm working that hard. I want to prove them what the Bouke really is." She finished. Sasuke looked at her and noticed that she had broken the chopsticks in a half. She followed his gaze and dropped them –again.

"Sorry, I'll replace them." She muttered mildly surprised, that denoting she hadn't even noticed when they broke. She was trying too hard to steady her already agitated breathing by taking deep breaths.

"Don't worry." He said standing up and grabbing another pair of chopsticks from the cabinet. Then, he returned to his place and handed her the new chopsticks pair.

They sat and stared in silence at their food in silence.

"So…how's the Academy?" Neji asked trying to break the tense atmosphere.

Sasuke smirked a little.

"Annoying."

Neji chuckled a bit and nod.

"I know…Or knew since I'm not a student anymore." She added.

"I am counting my days for graduation. Then, less steps will be left." Sasuke stated. The unspoken promise being left on the air. Less steps for revenge. Less steps for killing Itachi.

Neji didn't said anything and instead continued eating her tuna. Soon Sasuke followed her example.

"You know, I think you'll get you revenge. All our fates are set on stone, and I think yours will be as you desire." She said confident but with a small tinge of melancholy on her eyes.

"So do I. I made a promise and I rather die trying than break it." Since the first time they've met, that was the first time he had talked so openly about his self-bestowed mission.

Neji was silent, but paying her full attention to the boy across the table.

"To be honest, I still love Itachi." Sasuke said staring at the window. His gaze was fixated on some point outside, but he wasn't really looking. He was lost in his memories. "That's what makes me hate him more. For Kami-sama, sometimes I even think of him as my Aniki."

Neji didn't had any brothers or sisters…or maybe she had…a long time ago, before her father's death. Hinata. The wimp.

Neji looked at Sasuke, and he was already eating his food. He had closed the topic. She wasn't anyone to complain.

The rest of the meal went on smoothly. As they were few words individuals, they barely talked, but when they did they spoke of trivial things as the Academy, or in Neji's case, her new team.

"They're a pair of losers." She said.

They were sitting barefoot at the lake's chore, refreshing their feet on water.

"The first one cannot use any ninjutsu. At all. He barely made it into the Academy and he ended dead last. He barely passed. Such a poor excuse of ninja." She spat.

"Hn. He kinda reminds me of Naruto. Always bragging about how good he is when he's the worst." Sasuke scoffed.

Neji cringed at the thought. At least Rock Lee didn't bragged about everything.

"The other one, he's really smart. Nothing outstanding since he ended being fifth best, but in everything else he's either bad or normal." She said picking on the grass blades.

"What's the grass fault you've been paired up with wimps?" Sasuke teased picking a blade Neji had plucked out, and twirled it between his fingers. She let out a soft laugh.

A soft breeze moved the grass, and made the girl's long hair and Sasuke's bangs wave.

"It's getting late, I'll better be heading home." Neji said looking up at the sky and stood up.

"Wait a little more. From this spot sunset looks enhancing." Grabbing her hand, and pulling her down.

Neji's eyes widened momentarily before setting on the ground again.

The sat in silence, the only noise being the breathing of each other, and the occasional chirp of a bird.

Then the sun began to set behind the trees. At first it looked like any other sunset. Beautiful, but ordinary.

Then the colors slowly began dancing on the lake. Alluring shadows began being projected by the majestic trees surrounding them. Some as old as the Uchiha themselves, their leaves once green, burning with the sunset colors. Every single wave on the lake reflecting tones of orange, red, yellow and mixes of those.

Neji's eyes were widened in wonder, her eyes eager to grasp every detail of that majestic scene and storing it into her memory.

Some birds flew away, free across the sky. Their brownish feathers shining with orange tones. Neji watched them with longing part away. Now Sasuke knew the reason. He didn't knew what to do, so he did what she had done for him some years ago. He embraced her in a hug.

At first she stiffened for an instant, but then relaxed. He smelled fresh, and she supposed he had taken a bath while she was buying the food. Then she realized she would be smelling of sweat since she had been out in the heat just after an avid training/sparring session. She waved the thought away, and focused her attention again on the scene before her.

They stayed like that all the spectacle's duration.

When all that was left were shadows they broke apart. Looking into each other's eyes.

"Sasuke." She said. Sasuke kept staring at her, a simple sign that he was listening.

"You're my only friend. Please don't leave me alone." She requested, a pleading glint in her eyes.

"I promise. You know I rather die than break my promises." Sasuke said, raising his pinky. That was a gesture his mother used to do when she promised him something. Whether it was something trivial like buying him an ice cream, or something important as promising to attend his shuriken demonstration. She never broke a promise and neither will he.

"I'll always be there if you need me, 'kay Sasuke." She said holding up her pinky too.

They intertwined them, and shook them as a way of signing their promise.

They laid a little on the fresh grass watching the slowly resurfacing stars, each of them thinking of several things, but coinciding on one. That'll be their last time together. Their reunions were secret also because Neji was a branch, and she knew secret techniques from the Souke and if they knew they had been training together she may be punished being accused of venting the clan's secret techniques to foreign entities. Sasuke didn't when would be the next time they held a conversation…as friends. But if he had a quality it was patience.

Half an hour later, when no light except the moon and stars shining up on the dark night's cloak, Neji stood up, thanked Sasuke for the evening, and left for her home.

"We'll talk sooner than you think, Uchiha." She said before parting towards the Bouke compound.

Sasuke stayed a little bit more outside, enjoying the fresh air and the trees' murmur.

He entered his house, finished his bathroom's rituals and went to his closet in search of his pajamas.

The Uchiha pulled out a loose dark blue cotton shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back. Then he searched for some shorts. He really needed to order his clothes. Where there once were the clothes all folded, or hung now they were on the closet's floor, or some piled over each other. Well, he could order it any other day. Now he wanted to sleep.

Sasuke began searching in the clothes pile for his shorts when he felt another texture. He pulled it out, and stared at it. Still beige, still warm. It only was little dusty. The jacket Neji had given him when they met. Sasuke stared at it for a little and then shoved it again under the clothes.

Finally he found them. Folded on the top shelve. Sasuke almost wanted to facepalm himself. He slid in them and finally slumped in his bed, letting out a content sigh and falling into Morpheus' realms.


	5. Maito Gai's Test

Neji considered herself an early person. Or so she thought.

Academy's entrance was at 8:00 am. Neji got up at 5:45, and by 7:00 she was already there. Not only was she the first in academic areas, but also in everything else. The first one to arrive, the first one to wake up, the first one in everything –or well, almost, genjutsu wasn't her strong point. Either way, her new jounin in charge, Maito Gai, had told them to meet on training grounds number 3 at 5:00 am. At first, it had been some kind of joke he had considered fun to pull on the new rookies but then she realized he was talking seriously.

The Hyuga woke up at 4:00 am and barely had time for taking a shower and munching some apple before heading towards the grounds, arriving there at 4:57 am.

Her hair was still wet and the morning coolness didn't help either as she shivered more than once on her way there. She searched around and a small smirk graced her lips. She was the only one there. At least she had been the first one.

Neji sat under a tree and closed her eyes when she heard strange noises coming from above the tree. She opened her eyes and activated her Byakugan which widened at the sight above her. A man which she recognized as Maito Gai was doing push-ups with his arms on one of the highest tree branches. By what she could spot of his chakra network he hadn't just started.

Suddenly his presence disappeared. She hadn't noticed him making any signs of sorts or anything. His chakra network hadn't even been altered as it happened when any ninja performed ninjutsu or genjutsu. Or maybe…it wasn't any of those. But even if it had been taijutsu he couldn't have moved that fast.

She was trying to decipher what kind of technique that one had been when she noticed the presence by her side.

"YOSH! What's your name you youthful flower of this new gennin team?!" he shouted-asked with a blinding smile which shined even if it was still dark.

"Hyuga Neji." She replied trying not to cringe and remembered her manners. "A pleasure Maito-sensei." She said bowing her head.

Suddenly, Neji, found herself being pulled into a wind knocking embrace.

"What a respectful student I have! You'll be for sure the precious flower of Team 3, Neji! And there's no need to call me Maito-sensei! I'm-"

"Ehem." She heard behind them.

There she saw Tenten and Lee.

Lee was staring amazed at their sensei and Tenten had an expression being a mix between amused, frightened and mocking –obviously caused by Neji's situation.

She glared at the boy but found he wasn't looking at them and instead was covering a yawn with his hand. Indeed it was very early even for her and this man was already busting with energy.

"Oh, for the Springtime of Youth! My first pupils are already here." He exclaimed, joyful (and manly) tears rolling down his pronounced cheekbones.

Neji cringed since she was still locked in the embrace, Tenten sweat dropped, and Lee…stars formed in his eyes and stared in admire at his new manly sensei.

"You all look so youthful!" he exclaimed again. "And those eyebrows are so youthful." He added once he spotted Lee.

"Thank you, y-youthful sensei. Your haircut is the best one I've ever seen!" Lee replied. And then, both of them proceeded to engage a conversation about their attires and Gai gave Lee tips of how to look handsome and youthful.

'Love at first freak.' Was what Tenten and Neji thought with a big sweat drop on their foreheads.

The chat only lasted a few minutes since, as Gai revealed later, they had a very busy schedule.

"Well, my name is Maito Gai, but I'm better known as-" Gai made a dramatic pause and appeared behind them with a poof of smoke and a strange pose. "THE HANDSOME GREEN BEAST OF KONOHA, MAITO GAI!" he told them practically yelling. "Though you can call me Gai-sensei." He finished. "Now's your turn to introduce yourselves. Ladies first." Gai-sensei said.

"Hyuga Neji." she introduced herself –again.

"Tenten."

"ROCK LEE! The future Taijutsu specialist!"

It was needless to say that another rant about youth, taijutsu and handsome beast began though Neji could've sworn she heard the word 'spandex'. That worried her. A lot.

After finishing their rant, Gai-sensei announced the first thing on their schedule.

"Well, first of all, I want to congratulate you for being in time. That was the first test and you've passed it with flying colors! The training appointments won't be scheduled this early, but you can find me here at this hour." He told them with a thumbs-up and a wink. "You have a free time from now to 6:40 am."

Though Neji in a beginning thought he was pretty dumb she realized that she had been wrong. Her new sensei wasn't the brightest bulb, but he could not have achieved jounin rank if he was a useless idiot.

Tenten strode towards her and laid down the tree's shade. He reclined his head against the trunk and closed his eyes. In less than a minute he was already asleep.

If Neji could, she would've definitely have done the same as her new teammate since it was only 5:17 am, but once she was awake she couldn't go back to sleep so Neji decided to meditate.

She settled by Tenten's side and sat down in the lotus position with both her palms leaned on her knees and facing upwards. Before the girl was completely enhanced in her meditation session she heard Lee was going to watch how Gai-sensei worked out all of his free time.

It was an interesting team the one she had been placed with. Perhaps fate had something stored for her in the near future were her amused thoughts.

Once their free time was over Gai went over them. Neji had already sensed his presence since he wasn't hiding it, and slowly opened her eyes. The sky was a tad clear though it was still dark.

"There's a youthful day ahead of us. We must not waste it!" Gai shouted waking up a startled Tenten.

"Follow me towards youth." Her new teacher stated and directed towards Konoha's Hokage Building. Team 3 followed him, and Neji activated her Byakugan letting the other two follow her, but again, she was amazed by her new jounin's incredible speed.

After three minutes they arrived at the Hokage's tower where Gai was already waiting for them.

"You kept up with my pace pretty good for being just one-day gennin." He told them analytically, but the serious moment finished when (manly) tears sprung from his eyes. "How youthful students I have!"

Tenten and Neji facepalmed, and Lee beamed.

They seated at the balcony's seats and stared up at Gai-sensei.

"From today, you are all gennin. I want to take this time to hear your goals." Their sensei said with a small smile.

Tch. As if she had the need to share that with them.

"I don't want to answer to that." Neji stated, her eyes closed.

Gai looked at her questioningly but quickly got distracted when Lee called his attention.

"Sensei! I want to prove that even without mastering ninjutsu or genjutsu, one can become a great shinobi!" Lee exclaimed all pumped-up. "That is what I live for!"

Neji couldn't help but scorn at his delusional dream. Lee heard her, and immediately stood up and pointed at her with an indignant expression.

"Hey! What's so funny?!" he reclaimed.

Neji couldn't believe he really was asking that. It was obvious, and she almost pitied him for being so…naïve? Delusional? She erased her smirk and answered him seriously.

"Listen, if you can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu, you can't be a ninja." She stated. "What are you? Stupid?" The girl cruelly mocked him.

Tenten looked at her, surprised by her bluntness (and rudeness) and then at Lee who looked crestfallen.

"No." A voice intervened. It was Gai's. "That's not necessarily true if one has the passion." He told Lee, his voice full of confidence.

Neji just stared at her sensei. Perhaps he really was dumb like she thought.

Gai chuckled a little and added. "If you spend your youth with a good rival, sparring together and honing your skills, there's no doubt you will become a fine ninja."

Lee looked hopeful and radiant this time while Gai made his 'Good Guy pose'. "But you will need determination."

"Yes!" Lee beamed.

After humming in approval, Gai turned towards Tenten.

"And you?"

"Oh, I want to become an excellent shinobi like Tsunade-sama." The boy answered excited jumping out of his seat.

"Tsunade-sama, huh." Gai said thoughtfully. "Her taijutsu was simply amazing. She has a monster-like strength." Then Gai bent a little and told them. "They said she almost killed her teammate Jiraiya-sama who along with her was one of the Legendary Sannin."

"What must I do to become that strong?" Tenten asked hoping Gai would advise him or encourage him like had done with Lee.

"Sheer determination!" he responded. Tenten looked a little bit disappointed by the answer, but not sad. It was obvious he was expecting some secret type of training or method.

"Well, I've already presented myself." He said with a smile. "But now, it's your final test."

"Nani?!" The three newly graduates exclaimed.

"I'll see you back at the training grounds." Gai stated.

"We only came all the way here to talk about our goals?" Tenten asked a little confused.

"You've heard him. He's been analyzing us. This was about how good could we keep up with him, and right now we're wasting time."

Then, without another word, she just jumped out of the balcony and ran down Konoha's streets towards the training grounds. Her two teammates jumping after her and following her.

Once they arrived there, Gai was already waiting for them.

Neji did not knew what kind of test expect with this teacher nor what would be the consequence if it wasn't approved, though she was pretty confident of her abilities.

"Well, this is quite simple. You only have to do one thing." Gai told them. This perked more his students' attention.

"You only have to land a hit on me. If you don't, you're back to the Academic. Easy, neh?" Gai told them with a cheerful smile before reappearing just in the middle of the training grounds.

"It is now 7:00 am, you have 'till 10:00 am to land me a hit. Begins Now!"

The first one to launch at Gai was Lee with his fist raised. Gai-sensei easily dodged the boy. Then Tenten ran at him his fist raised just like Lee, but at the last moment, he changed his posture attempting to kick the jounin. Neji watched from afar some of Gai-sensei's movements trying to find an opening. Just when Gai threw Lee at the ground again she charged with her Juuken.

Gai tried to simply dodge her, but with the other hand, she attempted to hit his side. The girl continued throwing gentle fists which Gai continued blocking easily. Suddenly she remembered when in one of her spars with Sasuke, the boy had tricked her by pretending to kick her feet, then her side, and he ended appearing behind her with a substitution jutsu.

Neji continued attacking her sensei with gentle fists, proceeding to combine them with kicks. With her peripheral vision, she spotted her two teammates charging at Gai again, and she saw her opportunity. She quickly replaced herself, a log appearing instead, and appeared behind Gai. She was about to Juuken him when Gai jumped like two meters up avoiding the girls attack, and landing neatly away, and with a grin.

They had been like this for an hour at least and were all sweaty and bruised.

Tenten charged running at Gai whom just tossed the boy away.

Lee attacked Gai, but when he tried to attack back, Lee moved fast trying to hit the openings though Gai was a lot faster and easily avoided them. Gai began throwing kicks which caused Lee to back away.

Then Neji charged with another set of Juukens, but faster which Gai kept blocking away.

"Keep it up, and you'll end up back at the Academy!" Gai told them just before kicking Neji away.

Lee let out a frustrated yell.

"Agh! I'm in the spring of youth at full power!"

"No wonder he's a jounin." Neji panted. "He dodges my taijutsu with such ease."

"I though graduating from Academy made us gennin." Tenten commented getting up from the ground. "Failing now is too embarrassing!"

Then, all three of them charged at Gai-sensei at the same time with their attacks.

"Severe…Konoha Senpuu!" Gai shouted, and the next thing they knew was they were flying all across the training grounds. The rolled through the ground bruising every part of their body and yelping.

"Giving up already?" Gai teased them.

"I'm not giving up!" Lee answered trying to get up. "My dream is to become a great shinobi through taijutsu alone!" Lee's face acquired determination. "I cannot…abandon my dream!"

"That's ridiculous." Neji muttered while fully incorporating herself. "But…I'm not giving up either!" she said setting her fighting stance.

"That's right." Tenten agreed also standing up. "I'm that close to becoming the shinobi I've always admired! No way I'm calling it quits." He said giving a strained step forward.

Slowly, Neji, Tenten, and Lee advanced with heavy strained steps towards Gai.

"Now you're talking, guys!" Guy shouted with a big grin and his arms opened. "That's how Youth should be! Even if you've used every ounce of your energy, suck it and push through it!" They were slowly getting closer. "Hit me with all your might!"

They continued their slow yet determined advance, and once they were just inches apart, they raised their hands and it happened.

"Here we come!" they shouted. Lee and Tenten closed their fist while Neji gathered the almost nothing chakra she had on her palm, and with a final yell, they all struck him in the face. All at the same time.

The grounds stood in silence for a second before Gai's expression intensified and he shouted.

"The three of you…." Next, he picked them all at once from the ground and hugged them tightly. "All pass!" he ended with the biggest of the grins.

"Yes, I did it!" Lee exclaimed between relieved sobs. "I did it!"

Neji meanwhile was cringing with an annoyed expression on her face, but also relief washed all over her.

"I-I can't breathe…!" Tenten said, his face happy but struggling to breathe properly.

They stayed like that what felt like hours to Neji, but in reality were just seconds. Finally, Gai-sensei pulled apart, tears streaming down his face.

"I am so happy for being able to teach you all the Springtime of Youth!" Gai said sniffing some manly happiness tears. "I assume you all are hungry." He added with a smile.

All of them nodded.

"Well, now you can take your lunch out. Later in the afternoon, after training, I plan on taking you to this delicious restaurant. They serve one of the best curry I've ever tasted!" Gai exclaimed and lead them towards a fallen trunk under a tree's shade which would serve them as a bench.

"Many years ago, I accidentally knocked down that tree in a training session." Gai commented sheepishly.

They sat on the trunk and began eating their lunch in silence. Once they were finished, they just sat there waiting for their food to digest.

"I'm so happy we all made it!" Lee commented with a radiant expression. Neji smirked and nodded. Though Lee's attitude was overwhelming it was refreshing in a sense.

"I wasn't about to fail after coming this far." She said, her expression stern again.

"Demo…" Tenten started. "Thank goodness we didn't get the sensei everybody talks about." He commented happily.

"You mean that jounin who sent three before us back to the Academy?" Lee asked.

"Uh-huh." Tenten nodded.

"Luck has nothing to do with real strength." Neji stated. "Those guys just weren't good enough."

"That's not what I've heard." The boy argued. "It was about what's even more important than a shinobi's strength or something…" he said.

"And what's that?" Lee questioned truly curious. "Is it some kind of super-lethal-one-hit technique?" he suggested enthusiastically.

Neji was in utter disbelief. The man graded his students based on his own beliefs. Rules were created because of something, he couldn't just go against how shinobi were graded. He couldn't just go against rules or fate as she couldn't go against the main family.

"Who does he think he is to make up his own criteria?" she commented bitterly.

None of the gennin noticed Gai's concerned expression at the mention of that jounin.


	6. Tori's Den

Once they were finished resting Gai stood up dusting his clothes (spandex).

"Well, we are now officially team 3, and it's time to begin our first training session." He told them "First you will spar against to me so I can have an overview of your skills, and then I'll test you in other areas like accuracy, ninjutsu, taijutsu, etc."

All of them stood up and stared at Gai.

"Ladies first. I'll begin with you Neji. Tenten and Lee will watch. Is necessary to know your teammate's strengths and weakness so you know how to help them. Remember, you work like a unit. Understood?"

"Hai, Gai-sensei!" Lee responded. Tenten only nodded, and they proceed to retrocede leaving enough space for Neji being tested.

Gai looked at Neji's blank expression and pondered about why her attitude was like that. It was a teacher's duty to help their students, but he could ponder over it later. Right now he had to know his team's abilities.

"I've already noticed you're very good at taijutsu, but that's natural since you're a Hyuga…however, you're too advanced for your age."

Neji's mouth curled into an arrogant smirk.

"I've actually had the fortune of working with some other Hyuga, even one was on my team so I may know one or two things about your fighting style and how to help you." Neji actually looked impressed and inwardly was excited though she didn't demonstrated it. "Hyuga Hoheto, may I say he was the second best rookie of our generation, but he didn't reached your level until six months of being gennin." Gai commented "I also had the chance of being on an S-ranked mission with the most talented Hyuga I've ever met. Who trained you? Perhaps you know him."

"I've trained myself, Gai-sensei." She told him. Gai looked at her in disbelief, and her teammates whom also had listened were gaping at her. "As for that other Hyuga, even if they're my family, I'm not familiar with a lot of them though I happen to know Hoheto-san by sight."

"Ah, good! When you see him send him my greetings. As for the other one, he truly was a great shinobi. Maybe you didn't knew him since he deceased about 8 years ago, but perhaps you've heard of him. The best Hyuga warrior in not only my opinion."

"Perhaps." She said disinterestedly.

"His name was Hyuga Hizashi." Gai told her.

At this Neji petrified and her cool demeanor broke. Her eyes widened and looked up at Gai, her eyes reflecting something Gai couldn't really place a finger on exactly what it was.

"He was my father." She told him, her gaze lowering to the ground.

"No wonder you're so good. I guess it is in the genes." Gai reassured laying his hand on her shoulder. The girl nodded and an almost invisible smile appeared. 'That's a start' Gai thought pleased.

After testing each of them, Gai had already come up with their strength and weakness. By the time he was finished, it was already 1:30 pm.

"Take a rest, I'm taking you to celebrate to this youthfully delicious place!" Gai told them.

"Hai."

First, they went to a nearby stream to wash their faces and hands, and then followed their sensei.

The day, as the one before was hot though not that hot. Fewer people were swarming the streets so they arrived at their destination in no time.

"Tori's Den"

It had some bird designs on the walls, and luckily there were only a few commensals though what caught Neji's attention weren't the designs. It was the fact that it was the same one where she had bought the food the day before.

"Here we are! Tori's Den!" Gai exclaimed. Then he approached the same bored guy on the counter.

"Good morning Seiichi-kun!" Gai greeted enthusiastically. "A table for four, please."

The boy nodded in greeting.

"Pick whichever you want…" the boy began.

"Seiichi-niisan! Obaa-san sent me to bring you your bento since you forgot it!" A voice yelled behind them.

There was a boy standing with sandy hair, panting and a ninja protector around his neck.

"Tamaki" the boy in the counter –Seiichi- replied through gritted teeth. "This is an establishment. Thanks for bringing me the bento, but you cannot just barge in here shouting. Wait for me a little please, I'm working."

"Gomen." Tamaki apologized sheepishly.

"Seiichi-kun, are you alone?" Gai questioned noticing the lack of staff.

Seiichi sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Unfortunately. It is Hayami's honeymoon, Shaiwase is ill, boss's is out on Yukigakure for business, and Haru is part time and just left. So it is only Yayoi, and me, but since she's the chef, I'm here alone. Also, the rest of the Kitchen staff is absent due to family business." The boy finished with a sigh, handing them four menus.

"Oh, what a shame." Gai said accepting the menus. "And this one must be your little brother, right?" Gai asked looking at Tamaki who was still holding the bento box.

"Hai."

"This are my new gennin." Gai said. Tamaki looked at Gai, and then at the group of children behind the man in spandex.

"Neji?" he blurted out by spotting said girl.

All eyes fell on her.

"Hn. Sekonda-san." She answered crossing her arms and closing her eyes.

Seiichi's mouth curled into an evil smirk.

"Your girlfriend, otouto? Oh, how fast they grow!" The boy feigned hurt by making a dramatic pose with his hand on his forehead.

Neji scorned and her frown deepened, and Tamaki got beat red. Lee and Tenten snickered, and Tamaki began reclaiming at his brother.

"Seiichi-baka! T-that's not true!" Tamaki argued getting redder.

"Oh, you can't lie to your Aniki…" Tamaki began until he noticed the Hyuga girl's intense glare and stopped mid-sentence.

"Ehem, if you wish to take a seat I'll take your order in a moment." Seiichi said with a nervous smile.

Neji's glare did not lessen until the boy was out of sight, but, even if she convinced herself that it was not eavesdropping, she overheard with her well-trained hearing the conversation between Tamaki and Seiichi.

"Nii-san, that wasn't necessary." She heard Tamaki say with a tinge of annoyance in his voice.

"She's Gai's student. Geez, I thought they all'd be more like him." The other said. "But…aren't you supposed to be training?"

"Sachihiro-sensei is on his honeymoon with Hayami-san. You should know it, she's your co-worker." The boy replied. "And… Granny asked me to tell you that you should not forget your responsibilities." She heard Tamaki say in an insecure voice.

"Tamaki, Gran should not involve you in this. This is between me and her. Besides, what responsibilities? The ones of a clan almost extinguished and spread throughout the world? I already made chunin like she forced me to. I'll just live like a civilian from now on." Seiichi answered sternly. "Now, shoo. As you've already noticed I'm busy, though thanks for the lunch."

"No pro, niisan. See you later." A few seconds after that, she heard the bell indicating that Tamaki had already exited the place. Just afterward she sensed Seiichi's presence approaching.

"Are you ready to order?" he asked them.

"Yes! A curry with extra spicy sauce…"

"Two!" Lee shouted.

"That's my boy! Two curries with extra spicy sauce." Gai said, his eyes threatening to spill tears of joy at how youthful Lee's tastes were.

"Sesame dumplings, please with green tea." Tenten order.

"…Herring soba, please. Also with green tea." She required. Though herring soba was her favorite food she had only eaten it in counted occasions since it was only served in some events of the main family when chefs were the ones who prepared the food and not oneself.

Seiichi finished writing their order in his block and nodded at them before leaving towards the kitchen to deliver their order to the chef.

"So…" Gai began in a conversation attempt. "Is Seiichi's otouto a friend of yours, Neji?"

"Not at all. He asked my name yesterday when I was buying some food." She answered hoping to set the topic as closed.

"Don't Hyugas have their supplies delivered?" Tenten asked. "A neighbor of mine works there, and once in a conversation he told us that that week had been his turn to deliver to the Hyuga's."

"What my family or I do is none of anybody's concern." She stated icily.

"There's no need to be like that, you know! From now on we're a team, geez. You shouldn't be that rude." He responded a little mad by his teammate's behavior.

Neji only frowned and crossed her arms (at this point the rest of the team had concluded it was her trademark pose).

"How about we change of subject?" Gai suggested trying to calm the waters. "Err-…for example, tomorrow I have some very special gifts for you, guys. They are the secret of becoming a super elite shinobi." Gai assured them with a wink.

Tenten, Neji, and Lee's attention got caught.

"What is that, Gai-sensei?!" Lee asked, his eyes shining.

Gai hummed and added with a mysterious tone. "It's a secret. Tomorrow you'll find out. I promise."

"I wonder what that special gift might be." Tenten muttered to Neji as if the argument they had had some seconds ago hadn't happened. "I can't deny I also feel curious." The girl answered glancing warily at her new sensei.

They finished their food and chatted a little among themselves, neither of them revealing personal information.

They thanked Seiichi and Yayoi, who had gone out the kitchen, for the food and took their leave, heading to the training grounds. Before they could exit the place, a voice stopped them.

"Gai-san!" Seiichi called. "I was wondering if you perhaps could train my little brother. You see, his jounin'll be out for two weeks, and I do not wish for him to stay behind. I know he's a year older than your students, but any kind of exercises will be fine. Please" The boy blurted out a bit too fast.

Gai answered with a chuckle. "Of course! There's no problem at all. In fact, I'll be more than happy to teach a new young mind! Perhaps it would also help my students with their training since they've only begun."

Seiichi's face brightened. "Thank you, Gai-san!"

"Don't forget to tell him training begins at 7:00 am, and we'll be at training grounds number 3."

The boy only nodded and thanked Gai again.

After that, they left the restaurant and continued training till dawn.

"Though I'm sad to departure you, my new youthful students so soon, I feel relief in my heart knowing I've inculcated you a little of the Flame of Youth. However, there's a long path ahead of us!" Gai told them, waterfalls falling from his eyes, before bidding them goodbye.

"Neji, aren't you coming?" Tenten asked her when they were leaving.

"I'll just stay a little more." She responded waving the boy away. Tenten just shrugged and went to his home.

Neji stood there a little before taking out from her bag with supplies, which was lying on the floor, a tiny tomato.

The fruit itself wasn't anything special, in fact, it was even a little too small, and wasn't as red as the mature and juicy tomatoes.

She had sneaked it out of the Hyuga kitchen while the maids were busy washing the dishes. In the Hyuga compound, every single member had a special function. Main Branch…well, most of them were like nobility, meaning they did nothing but had any kind of privileges. But it was supposed they advised, ran the money and helped the leader. Hyuga Branch were either shinobi, chefs, maids, gardeners or any other job which benefit the Hyugas in some way, or few lucky ones –in the girl's and some others opinion, unlucky ones- were betrothed to some influential figure which would help the Hyugas to tie bonds with them.

Neji began walking through the night, with the tomato in hand. To anyone, it would've looked normal. A gennin going home back from training, but for any other Hyuga, it would have looked weird. A Bouke girl walking alone just in the opposite of where the compound was located.

She tried to steady her pace since she didn't wanted to raise suspicion, but she had to be there, at the Bouke Compound 9:00 pm sharp at the most. It was 8:47.

Once she had exited the zone where most people were congregated, Neji began speeding up until she was running till she reached her destination.

The buildings were as dusty and isolated as the day before. Since it was already dark the place gave her the creeps, a chill running down her spine. Yes, she was a stoic ninja and all, but a whole, empty, old, and rusty compound where a mass murder had been held affected everyone –or almost everyone.

Finally, she reached her destination. The lights of one of the rooms were on, so she decided to stop pondering on it and quickly took out other two tomatoes that were in her pouch and laid them on a white cloth square bed before tying it. Then she set them on the windowsill and departed before the Uchiha detected her chakra.

They couldn't talk in public, and due to their schedules, they didn't have time. But that didn't meant they couldn't still be friends and their friendship was something Neji wanted to keep. The tomatoes had been a little gesture indicating Sasuke she still considered him her friend.

This time she took velocity and crossed the city in 10 minutes or so. She checked a big clock at the entrance of the Compound and a sigh of relief escaped her slightly dry lips. 8:59 pm. The guard, as every night greeted her, and she returned the greeting with a curt nod.

:.:.:.:.:.:

Sun rays seeped through the window glass warming the boy's face. Said boy groaned and rubbed his eyes with a drowsy fisted hand and let a wide yawn escape his lips. He slowly opened his eyes and sighed. The digital clock by his nightstand read 6:45 am.

He slowly got rid of his clothes and entered the bathroom closing the door behind him. A few seconds later the water was already running and Sasuke Uchiha was washing his oddly shaped hair. Fifteen minutes later he was already dressed and his hair was combed. He quickly brushed his teeth and went down the stairs towards the kitchen. He thanked Kami-sama that some of the day before tomato salad was left, so he fried two eggs, accompanied them with a little bit of salad, and served himself with some lemon tea that was on the stove.

He finished breakfast and frowned. Tomatoes were only brought to him when they were in season, so it would be some months till he could taste that delicious fruit, and since he had almost finished what Neji had brought the day before, his mood became gloomy.

Sasuke went upstairs to brush his teeth and slung his backpack over his shoulder before again walking down the stairs. The Uchiha opened his refrigerator, took out the bento he had prepared the day before, and took his keys out. Once he opened the door and locked it, his onyx eyes focused on the dead flowers by his windowsill. They had been like that after some weeks after the tragedy, and he suddenly remembered how much he liked the chrysanthemums his mother used to water. A sudden rush of grief crossed his features. Sasuke decided he would give those flowers life again. He was in that when he noticed a small package.

His first intuition was that it maybe was a trap. He took his distance and threw some stones at the package. Nothing happened. He slowly approached the windowsill and took it in his hand. Again, nothing happened. Finally, Sasuke slowly untied the knot that held it together, and it revealed three tiny tomatoes. At first, Sasuke didn't knew how to feel and raised his head to look around searching for the mysterious person that could've left him that. Then, he spotted in a corner of that white handkerchief a small embroidery with the Hyuga Bouke emblem, and his lips instantly curved into a smile. The Uchiha tied the knot again and took them to the Academy.

The gloominess of before already gone.


	7. A Friendly Nuisance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, is anybody still there? Sorry for the six-month delay *sweats nervously*. Ehem...Well, I may or not have reasons... Author's block, the progression of the storyline of Naruto and that stuff, new ideas, laziness, procrastination, and all of that amongst other things contributed to this big delay. Thanks for those who left kudos
> 
> Chapter 6 & 7 are mostly fillers since they somehow contribute to the story, but I decided to do all of those timeskips to fully start the plot in the next chapter or so. Again, thank you very much for giving this story a chance.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.

Neji did not knew what to expect from her first real training session. The day before had been just some sort of test, that day was when the real training began. She knew beforehand that Sekonda-san would be joining them for at least the following two weeks, so he being more time than them a gennin would maybe come in handy on what to expect, though she wondered if she would be able to cope with one more nuisance. Ah, what a dilemma.

This time Neji had had time to breakfast something decent consisting of yakizakana* accompanied by genmai* and kobachi*, and, of course, a steaming cup of kombucha*, the shiso leaves flavor leaving a delicious cinnamon alike taste on her mouth. She was grateful that somebody had already made tea, and left some there for whoever that wanted it. After having left her dishes on the sink, she brushed her teeth an parted.

When the Hyuga arrived at the training grounds Neji wasn't surprised at all to see Gai and Lee already there. Lee was sweating and looking very strained and exhausted while Gai looked as if doing pushups at 6:45 in the freaking morning was something natural.

"323, 324,…" Gai kept counting accompanied by Lee's strained voice.

"Good morning." She greeted them making her presence known.

A second later Gai stood up with a jump, and Lee slowly, pushing himself up with his arms, stood up as well, albeit panting heavily.

"Good morning!" Gai greeted her enthusiastically.

"Good morning, Neji, from now on my eternal rival!" Lee exclaimed having regained his breath, causing Neji to eye him warily.

"Rival?" she questioned skeptically.

"Of course! You've been a proof that our dear kunoichi aren't weaker than a male by being Rookie of the Year!" Neji's eyebrow twitched and did not knew if to feel complimented or insulted. "So, as Gai-sensei told me, I have to find an eternal rival! You and I are now eternal rivals my youthful spring flower!" Lee declared, stars in his eyes and overjoyed tears rolling down his face.

"Do not embarrass yourself, and do not involve me into your delusional dreams." She spat bitterly, giving her back to Lee. By the corner of her eye, she hoped to see Lee crestfallen or something but it was as if she had never spoken.

"I will not give up until I beat you, my eternal rival!" he shouted to the winds and hugged Gai. The Hyuga girl only sweatdropped.

She sat by the fallen tree and meditated, inwardly preparing herself for a long day.

At 6:54 Tenten arrived at the training grounds. He stopped in his tracks for a moment, and glanced at Lee and Gai and then at Neji. He sighed and approached where Neji was, not wanting to attract the attention of those two.

"Good morning." The boy muttered once he arrived by her side. He actually was a little scared of the Hyuga's –in general, but Neji's in particular- temperament, and he did not wanted to risk his well-being by disturbing her meditation session. However, Neji cracked one eye open and returned the greeting with a nod. At this Tenten was a little taken aback since he thought the girl would ignore or glare at him. Tenten inwardly smirked. Maybe she wasn't as bad as she seemed. He sat down by her side and watched Lee and Gai train. They still had to wait for the other boy, Takashi, Tenten thought was called, to arrive.

At 6:00 am sharp Gai stopped kicking the dummies and looked around.

"It seems that youthful Tamaki hasn't arrived yet…"

"Good Morning!" A shout from afar interrupted Gai.

All of them looked up to catch a glimpse of a figure making its way towards them at a quick pace.

"Oh, looks like he's already here." Gai remarked with an enormous grin.

Once Tamaki had reached them and placed his things with the others', all of them reunited again at the balcony from yesterday.

"I know we've already introduced yesterday, but I would like to repeat it since, even if only temporarily, a new member will be joining us." Gai instructed. "Tamaki, we'll tell our goals, okay?" The boy in question nodded.

"Lee, could you begin?"

"Hai, sensei!" Lee beamed. "My name is Rock Lee, and I want to become an excellent shinobi without ninjutsu nor genjutsu! A pleasure to meet you Tamaki-san!" The bushy-browed boy finished. Neji only rolled her eyes.

Gai nodded at Tenten indicating him to continue.

"Name's Tenten, and I intend to be like my idol, The Legendary Sannin Tsunade-sama." Tenten stated proudly.

"You want to be a woman?" Tamaki asked gaping at the boy.

"What?!" Tenten exclaimed scandalized. "Of course not! I want to be as powerful and badass like her!" At this, not even Neji could suppress a snicker. Tenten glared at her in return but she paid him no mind.

"Tamaki-san, your turn." Gai instructed once thei rbickering had ended.

"My name is Sekonda Tamaki and, well… I'm not really sure of my goals, but I guess I want to be a good shinobi and make my grandma proud." He said a little insecure.

"It's normal not to be sure about what to do with your life at this age though I suggest starting deciding it. However, it is nice on you to want to make your grandmother proud, but you must be more interested in making yourself proud, okay?" Gai told the boy. Tamaki only nodded, a slight tone of pink dusting his cheeks.

"Neji…?" Gai asked as if testing if the girl was as reluctant as the day before in sharing her goals.

She only shook her head, no words spoken. Gai sighed, but immediately placed a smile on his face.

"Wait! Why didn't she answered?" Tamaki questioned while pointing at Neji.

"She didn't wished to." Gai answered blankly.

Tamaki only pouted and mumbled something along the lines of 'it not being fair.'

Already on the training grounds, Gai told them.

"Well, team. How about we begin to warm up with a few laps? Since you're only beginners how about… 100 around Konoha." The man suggested.

"Oh, sensei! That sounds wonderful!" Lee said enthusiastically, and practically bouncing in his place.

Neji thought it maybe was a little too much but then reminded herself that she was a ninja, and, maybe, as her sensei was putting it, it wasn't anything but a light warm up.

Tenten and Tamaki groaned.

"Oh, don't worry! I'll be accompanying you…on my hands. In fact, let's make this a race. Let's see who completes the 100 laps first. If me on my hands, or you on your feet." Gai grinned jumping and landing on his hands. "The starting point will be here. We begin…now!"

After that, Gai morphed into a blur rapidly getting away from them.

"Yosh! I'm not planning on wasting my youth. I'm going there Gai-sensei!" Lee exclaimed, sprinting after Gai. Neji, not wanting to seem lazy, followed after Lee.

The day wasn't a total fiasco as she had expected, and Tamaki actually had given them some tips about gennin life.

Neji loved to train, she always did it. Not for a hobby, but more like a personal goal, and Gai had noticed it. He already knew that she was a branch member since he had had a Branch as a teammate. Therefore he knew about the seal and the conflict between houses, but he didn't knew what was motivating Neji to training so hard though he suspected it was something along those lines. The bushy-browed man decided to ask her later –after some months of knowing her.

Gai looked at his new student hitting a tree's trunk with her palms. So far the trunk had deep marks of the Juuken, and he suspected if she continued like that the tree would fall.

"Okay my youthful students! Enough training for now. We must feed ourselves with delicious food, so we can have the energy for exploiting our youth!"

Neji and Tenten wondered if they would be able to keep up with their new sensei's antics till they were chunin, but they were sure of something: he was a good sensei.

Neji took out her bento which contained some mango maki rolls and some chopped vegetables by the side. Tenten, since his mother ran a Chinese food restaurant, had some spring rolls and fried rice. Lee had some pork dumplings and white rice, and Tamaki some beans and takoyaki. Gai had curry, no surprise there.

"So…why did you wanted to become ninjas?" he asked trying to start a conversation between his students.

"Tou-san used to be shinobi and he's great with all of those jutsus and movements." Tenten commented.

"I also wanted to become one because of my father." Gai commented nostalgic. "And you?" he addressed the rest.

"Because is a shinobi's duty to protect Konoha and I want to protect my village!" Lee yelled.

"Oh, how youthful and selfless thoughts, Lee my boy."

Tamaki who hadn't met Gai before found himself being slightly creeped out by the man. Then he noticed everyone was looking at him.

"Well…Obaa-chan kind of wanted me to be a shinobi so…here I am."

"You don't have to try too hard to please your grandmother." Gai told him. Tamaki's brother had told him the same. The boy only nodded.

"And you Neji?"

"The Hyuga's are mainly a Shinobi Clan, so it's my duty to become one." That was partly the truth, but she did no wanted them to know it was mainly because she wanted to prove those Souke scum that a Bouke could be better than them.

Gai nodded. He hoped that they would begin speaking after that, but it seemed they needed another push.

"Hmm…what are your likes and dislikes? I don't like unyouthfulness and I like youth, training and honing my taijutsu, and food! Specially curry." Gai said.

"Well…I really like the sea and the beach though I've only been there once, strawberries, and I like collecting medical herbs. I do not like chocolate, and I can't think of any other thing I dislike."

"Isn't that a bit girlish?" Tenten asked snickering referring to his hobby. Tamaki flushed deeply and bowed his head.

"Oi, Tenten, don't be so rude."

"Gomen, sensei."

"No, there's no problem. I know it is girlish, but it is kind of soothing." Tamaki said sheepishly. "What do you like, Tenten-san?"

"I really like dango, specially the sesame one, and mom knows how to read the fortune so she's teaching me and it is really cool. Also dad's just retired, and has opened a store with many kinds of cool weapons and stuff, and I really like them! I'm not a fan of pickled plums and I dislike whiny people." Tenten commented growing excited.

"Wow! In a mission I saw once a guy with this kind of strange curved sword that looked like an interrogation mark. It was cool though very sharp, and my teammate, Akane-san, still has the scar on her arm from that sword."

"It must be a khopesh! My dad has one in his store though it's only for exhibition."

Both boys continued bickering on the strange weapons Tamaki had encountered in his short time being a gennin, and Tenten recognizing most of them. Then they asked Lee, but Neji ignored them and began eating her food. Until Tenten turned towards her and asked.

"What about you Neji?"

"Huh?"

"What are your likes, and dislikes youthful teammate?!" Lee asked/yelled. She pondered over it a moment. It wouldn't hurt to share that.

"I like to train and meditate. I do not like…" the Main Branch "people who try to go against their destiny." She finished and picked some rice with her chopsticks.

"Neh, be more specific." Tenten said. "Like your favorite foods, and that stuff."

"I like herring soba, and I dislike pumpkin and spicy food." she said grimacing a bit.

"Well, that's a first!" Tenten exclaimed happily making her eyebrow twitch.

Break time ended, and they continued their training.

Tamaki told them about the boring D ranked missions of painting fences, chasing cats and dogs, and farming. They began doing 200 hundred push-ups that even for Lee were too much, but that was only the beginning of the strict training regime Gai had prepared for them.

All four of them were panting, beads of sweat running down their faces and hands on their knees. When Gai noticed the state in which his pupils were he decided to give them a break to drink water and catch their breath.

"Before we continue our training I want to give you something. I don't know if you remember it, but yesterday I told you I was going to give you something that will definitely help you with your training."

Tamaki stared at Gai questioningly since he wasn't there, and supposed it was for Gai's team.

"I also have one for you, Tamaki-kun." The man said.

'One what?' was what everyone thought.

Suddenly Gai pulled out from God knows where two pairs of green suits. Spandexes.

Lee beamed and stars formed in his eyes. Tamaki stared at them trying to figure out what were they. Neji and Tenten cringed and automatically backed off with horrified expressions on their faces. Gai couldn't be expecting them to wear that.

They accepted the gift out of courtesy but mentally agreed that neither of them would wear that. Tamaki took it and stared at it awkwardly.

"How could this help us?" the boy asked mildly confused.

"I'm actually glad you asked so, it helps with the flexibility and…"

Neji blocked her sensei's bickering on her mind and began pondering on what he had told her the day before. Gai had known her father and had been on the same team as Hoheto-san. That made perfect sense on the teams now she thought of it. Lee was as weird as Gai was, and the man had had prior experience working with Hyugas.

As the training continued Neji's opinion on her teammates' abilities only worsened. She had been used to train with Sasuke, and he definitely was on a better level than all of them. Lee couldn't perform ninjutsu nor genjutsu and his taijutsu wasn't the best. Tenten was awful at taijutsu, and worse at genjutsu but at least he had a partially good ninjutsu. Tamaki…the only thing the boy had was the experience. Low at taijutsu, average at genjutsu and slightly better at ninjutsu than Tenten. Yes, people had told her she had a superiority complex, but she only viewed inferior those who truly were.

One week passed, and they had not sparred or anything like that and Neji was growing impatient. With the Hyugas everything was normal. That week Hiashi-sama and his father had had a sparring match and Neji had seen them with her Byakugan perform something called Kaiten. It was a truly interesting technique and that encouraged her to decipher its secret.

The morning Gai declared that they'll have a one-hour sparring session, everyone was enthusiastic. A smirk, even if it didn't reached her eyes, played on Neji's face. Tenten, since Gai had taught him how to seal weapons, was excited to show off his newly acquired ability, and Lee was more hyper than usual.

At the end, the matches were settled to be 15 minutes one-on-one. For them to have the chance to confront everyone there would be a total of 45 minutes. The 15 ones left for the hour would be spent on a spar three-on-one against Gai just to test how far their abilities had improved during the span of one week under his tutelage

The first match had been Neji vs Tamaki, and Tenten vs Lee, the respective winners of each of them being Tamaki and Tenten. Neji did not liked to lose, and even if she understood that he had six more months of experience on the field it annoyed her. On the other way, Lee found himself motivated to train in hopes to surpass Tenten one day

The next set was arranged like this: Lee vs Neji, and Tamaki vs Tenten. Neji defeated Lee in half the time or even less, and Tamaki ended with a victory again.

Finally, Tenten and Neji were against each other and so were Lee and Tamaki, Neji and Tamaki being victorious.

The day passed by fast and so did the week. Finally, Tamaki's Sensei returned from his honeymoon, and so, thanking them effusively for letting him train with them, he bid them goodbye and went with his team.

The pale eyed girl observed more frequently her relatives, the fact that her Byakugan was so developed that it allowed her to see the tenketsu, being of great help at the time of unraveling the techniques.

Months passed and the chunin exams presented themselves. On a unanimous decision, they chose to skip those exams and wait till the next ones.

One afternoon Tamaki came running to the training grounds sporting a brand new chunin vest.

"Oh, Tamaki-kun, what a god surprise!"

"Gai-sensei! I came to thank you." The boy stated, purposely dusting off his vest.

"Oh, you made chunin!" Gai beamed throwing his arms around Tamaki, his eyes spilling manly tears. "Those are the fruits of your arduous and youthful training…" the jounin began ranting.

"I came here to thank you, sensei. Those taijutsu movements you taught me during those two weeks were what gave me the upper hand on the finals. My adversary did not expect it, thanks! Even Sachihiro-sensei was impressed."

Neji watched the display with a tinge of jealousy. He, a total fool, had made chunin before her. She was not irrational and knew that he had more experience than them, but that did nothing to easen that feeling up.

That day, training was suspended and instead they went to Tori's Den to celebrate Tamaki's promotion.

"Oi, why are you always so grumpy." A voice said behind her. She turned around to face the owner of that familiar voice.

"Your excessively boisterous personality bothers me, but I'm not questioning you about it, am I?"

"Sorry, wrong start. I came here peacefully."

Neji eyed him warily but did not stopped him nor moved away.

"Let's be friends, okay." He said offering his hand, a smile on his face.

"I don't need friends." She stated icily.

"Could it be a promotion present?" Tamaki insisted, his hand still extended.

"I am not obliged to give you anything." The girl retorted.

"Please, don't be like that. I solemnly swear not to be a nuisance." He said raising his other hand in a promising manner "Friends are not a need, please let me be yours."

She was about to counter him saying that she already had a friend but stopped herself. Was Sasuke still her friend? 'Yes, of course. He promised it.' The little voice in her head retorted. She had not talked to him since…that last time. She had not even seen him around…perhaps he did not considered her a friend anymore. She finally came to a resolution. Her friend or not she still needed to move on… 'Do you really?' The voice murmured again, but she promptly dismissed it.

"I guess…only if you keep that promise." She said, her lips slightly curving upwards, before adding. "By the way, that also is your present."

Tamaki beamed, already preparing to hug her, but stopped mid-motion when he noticed the warning glare sent on his way.

"A good present, dare I say." He told her half-joking.

Maybe she would regret that decision, maybe not.

*Yakizakana: Fish that is either broiled in the oven, or quickly cooked in a pan. It is often seasoned simply with salt, and salmon is a favorite for Japanese breakfasts.

*Genmai: Brown stewed rice.

*Kobachi: Vegetable side dishes.

*Kombucha: It is made from soaking konbu (seaweed kelp) in hot water. Often kombucha is brewed and reconstituted into a powder which can be mixed with hot water. Sometimes it is flavored with shiso leaves. It has a rather salty taste and is considered to be healthy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Yakizakana: Fish that is either broiled in the oven, or quickly cooked in a pan. It is often seasoned simply with salt, and salmon is a favorite for Japanese breakfasts.
> 
> *Genmai: Brown stewed rice.
> 
> *Kobachi: Vegetable side dishes.
> 
> *Kombucha: It is made from soaking konbu (seaweed kelp) in hot water. Often kombucha is brewed and reconstituted into a powder which can be mixed with hot water. Sometimes it is flavored with shiso leaves. It has a rather salty taste and is considered to be healthy
> 
> Kudos? Comments? Bookmarks? :')


	8. Does Friendship Still Stands?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.

After that day Neji trained even harder. If there was something that would definitely strike the Main House straight up in the ego, would be a young Branch member getting promoted to chunin before the 'so called' heiress.

Tamaki, along with her teammates, had turned out to be a nuisance, but, somehow she had grown fond of all of them in some sort of twisted way. She still considered them weak, that was a fact as much as it was that they had endured every one of her poisoned words, never leaving her side...for too long.

The day had finally arrived. She had already heard of Sasuke's team. All those rookies were gonna enter. Hinata-sama included. Oh, the girl had made a great mistake by even thinking about signing up for them. Her persistence in defying her fate infuriated Neji, it was crystal clear that the heiress was not made for the shinobi life and so, Neji herself would be the one proving that point.

Their plan of pretending to be some untalented weak shinobi made her opinion on Lee increase if only a bit since it had been his idea.

Once they arrived the building Neji instantly knew that something was amiss. A quick glance with her Byakugan told her everything.

"A genjutsu has been placed on the building. The third floor to be more exact." she muttered.

"So that was it." Tenten answered back. He had also noticed something. Good.

"What shall we do?" Lee asked as they kept walking.

"Play along until some other team notices it."

"And what if no team does?" her green-cladded teammate questioned again.

"Oh, believe me, we're not gonna be only ones." Neji simply answered with her trademark smirk. If Sasuke, an Uchiha, was gonna be there, then there was no way he would not be able to notice it.

A small crowd was gathered outside the door of the second floor, the fools truly believing they were on the third one.

"Neh, I guess it's time to begin. Who wants to make the first impression?" Tenten playfully asked.

"Oh, I shall do it." Lee's enthusiastic voice said.

"Go ahead."

The trio arrived in front if the door. Neji was the first one to ask if they could get, her pleading only being answered by a no. Lee proceeded to try to force his way in, the action predictably being foreseen and harshly blocked.

"You're trying to take the Chunin exam with that kind of level?" one of the guards mocked him.

The words irked Neji. Lee could be way inferior to her on so many levels, but he was a good shinobi all in all and could easily beat every gennin there.

To make the effect more convincing Tenten ran to Lee and kneeled by his side, pretending to help his fallen comrade.

"Maybe you should quit it, kid." The other one added with a scornful smirk.

"You're still just kids." 'Remember the plan. You can prove those jerks wrong later.' Tenten reminded himself. Instead, he swallowed his pride and asked in the nicest way possible.

"Please, let us through." Tenten approached them only to be hit in the face. Okay, now he was pissed but…the plan went first. Various gasps were heard from around them.

"How cruel." someone muttered.

Well, now they saw them as weaklings. Good.

"What did you say?" the one with the spiky hair said, his smirk still in place. "Listen up, we're being kind to you. The Chunin exam is extremely difficult."

"We have seen those who gave upon on becoming a ninja or become seriously injured taking this exam." The other one commented. At this Neji inwardly smirked. 'They were simply not made for being ninja…like you, Hinata-sama.'

"A Chunin is a commander of a squad. It's the commander's responsibilities for failing any missions and the death of their subordinates." The Spiky-haired one began talking again. "And to think, these kids are trying to…"

You seem to know a lot of the chunin life even if you look our age.' The girl thought. It only required a little concentration to sense the faint strong chakra hidden behind a henge. A Chunin level chakra network.

The one with a bandana covering his head scornfully added. "What's wrong with sifting out those who aren't going to pass anyway?"

"That's a sound argument, but I will pass." A vaguely familiar voice said. Her attention immediately focused on the newcomers, Sasuke being the one who spoke. "And undo this field you've created using a genjutsu."

Neji flashed a quick 'I told you so' smirk to her teammates.

"I want to go to the third floor." The Uchiha stated clearly.

"What's that guy talking about?" a clearly confused gennin asked behind them.

"I don't know." Another one answered him back. 'Fools. You can't even sense a simple genjutsu like this and are planning to take the exam.' The Hyuga girl thought derogatorily.

The guards looked impressed, the smirks wiping from their faces.

"You noticed?"

"Sakura, how about you? You should've noticed first." Sasuke said instead of answering the question.

"What?" the pink haired girl accompanying them, Sakura apparently, asked confused.

"Your analyzation skills and genjutsu know-how is the best in our squad."

How smart of you, Uchiha. Telling your squad abilities in front of a bunch of future exam participants.' Neji thought sarcastically.

Neji did not hear what the girl muttered next, but she quickly confirmed her teammate's affirmation. "Of course, I've noticed it already. Because this is the second floor." The girl said confidently.

The genjutsu was dispelled as all eyes were focused on Sasuke's team.

"You're pretty good. But just being able to detect it isn't enough…"Spiky hair said. On a quickly move he attempted to attack Sasuke. The Uchiha noticed on time and with speed prepared to counterattack…until Lee butted in.

Sasuke and his team, as well as the guard, shot Lee incredulous stares. Neji and Tenten were now annoyed. 'All that acting for nothing' was the thought that rushed through their minds.

"Hey, you broke the promise." She icily reclaimed him. "You're the one that didn't wanted to gather attention by doing something that stands out."

"But…"Lee began saying as he glanced at Sakura, a small blush tainting his face.

Tenten sighed deeply as he shook his head. "She must be why…"

"My name is Rock Lee. You are Sakura-san, right?" her teammate stepped forward.

"What?" the girl was obviously confused. Hell, she would be.

"Let's go out together! I will protect you until I die!" Lee said striking his 'Good Guy' pose. 'Go ahead, freak her out.' Tenten sweatdropped.

"No way…" the poor girl muttered.

"What?" Lee's crestfallen expression making both his teammate's eyebrow twitch.

"You're too weird for my tastes."

When their blond teammate chuckled, Neji decided to step in and refrain Lee from embarrassing himself further.

"Hey, you there." Neji directed to Sasuke. "Identify yourself."

Their gazes lingered a second before Sasuke answered.

"You're supposed to identify yourself before you ask."

"You're a rookie, aren't you?" her tone sounded the normal superior one, but only Sasuke, whom before that year span had spent two years with her every evening, could recognize she was not serious at all. "How old are you?"

"I'm not obliged to answer that." He simply stated in a tone matching hers.

"Excuse me?" Neji frowned, pretending to be offended.

With a last glance, Sasuke left. The guards were nowhere in sight but she was still able to notice their presence.

Neji's sight lingered on Sasuke until he was out of sight. 'Uchiha Sasuke…I'm looking forwards to our future encounter.'

Once they were the only ones left Tenten approached her.

"Does he interest you?" Dammit. She thought she had been discreet enough. The girl simply scoffed and walked away, Tenten following her with a knowing smirk placed on his lips.

"Lee, let's go. What are you doing?" Tenten suddenly questioned him when he noticed the mini Gai wasn't coming.

"You two go ahead." The boy said as he turned around. "There's something I need to check out."

"What was that?" Tenten asked the Hyuga girl as Lee walked away.

Neji only raised her nose and began walking towards the registration classroom.

"How should I know?"

The three of them needed to be present for the registration to begin but there were only two. Teams came in and went out, all filling their registration forms and leaving afterward. As the minutes passed, Neji's frowned deepened and Tenten's questions and pacing increased, that being a clue factor at shortening Neji's patience. Finally, Lee arrived running.

"I'm awfully sorry for my lateness. I promise it shall not be repeated." Lee profusely apologized before whispering "Oh, boy. Two times in the day I've wronged, 100 laps around the training grounds won't do."

"Stop your nonsense and lets proceed with the registration." The girl spat. Lee lowered his eyes but followed anyway. As they followed, Tenten watched Neji's long hair swaying behind her back, his face with an annoyed expression. He also was a bit mad with Lee for making them wait but Neji did not had the right to treat them like that.

After they finished their registration and left, he saw Sakura's team now completing them. It was quite obvious the girl had waited till Lee was gone to come out. Again, he felt a slight twinge of anger towards the girls.

"Hey, Neji." He called her after they were a few blocks away from the registration grounds.

Said girl turned around, her eyes narrowed.

"Yes?"

Tenten's words stuck at the tip of his tongue under those white eyes' gaze. The Hyuga girl's lips curved cruelly.

"The cat's got your tongue? I better head off then if there's nothing for you to tell me."

After a beige and brown blur, Neji disappeared in the crowd leaving Tenten fuming.

"Aghhh, those freaky white eyes just caught me off-guard! I was actually going to-"

"Tenten, my friend, I don't think that's the correct way to speak of a lady." Lee interrupted him, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"I know." The boy admitted finally with a sigh. "It's just that…she can't just keep treating us like shit…"

"She's a very talented person and my precious teammate and rival. I don't think she was born that way. Life made me a hard-work genius and life also made her cold. As her teammates we must try to understand her, support her and not let her get under our skin because, after all, all those poisoned words are nothing else than a defense from letting us get to her." Lee stated.

Tenten faced the bushy-browed boy, awe present in his face. With a sigh, he nodded.

"Then we must hurry before it's too late, Lee."

As Neji arrived into her Side Branch residence the girl slumped down in her bed. She had heard the thing about 'those freaky white eyes' coming from Tenten. Sure, as many other Hyugas she had received that same comment in one way or another but, to think that it actually stung that a loser like him had badmouthed her, more than self-conscious made her angry…with herself. The simple fact that her teammate's comment made her stomach drop if even a bit annoyed her to no end.

With a new determination, the girl stood up, slid her feet into her sandals and decided to go for a walk. A long one.

The weather was the Konoha's normal one. If not a bit too warm but with a constant breeze that kept making the leaves dance. Some rebel strands of hair snuck out her pristine ponytail.

"Oh, long time no see Neji!" a voice said behind her.

"Tamaki, indeed it has been some time."

"I heard you signed up for the chunin exams. I wish you luck though I'm certain you won't need it to pass." The sand-haired boy commented as he began walking alongside her. He looked the same except that now he sported a green chunin vest over his regular clothes.

Neji's lips curved a bit, actually meaning it.

"I also agree with you, though… did you heard that the new rookies are also taking part?"

"It's only the jounin's trying to look good. The only one of them who may have the faintest of possibilities of them to succeed would probably be that Uchiha boy."

"Do you know him?"

"Not actually, but my teammate has a huge crush on him. If you ask me I think he's a bit uptight."

Neji nodded smirking slightly. Yeah, Sasuke was a bit uptight but so was she.

"So am I. Why did you wanted to befriend me if we're alike in that aspect?"

"You're cool and…" he blushed a bit "I don't know." Was Tamaki vague response until a black haired girl called him from behind.

"Oh, she's my teammate Akane." The boy told Neji as Akane approached them.

"Tamaki-kun, it's almost time for the mission." The girl said.

"Oh! I almost forgot it. I'll be right there! Thanks, Akane."

The girl nodded and gave Neji a small bow before leaving.

"I was not aware chunins still did missions with their former squads."

"With or without promotion we'll always be a squad. It's true that a lot of higher rank missions are without our former teammates but you never truly stop being a unit."

The thought of even after getting the chunin promotion still being tied with them made her inwardly cringe.

"How….fortunate." she uttered.

"I know right!" he beamed completely unaware of the lack of sentiment Neji had spoken the words with.

As the Hyuga headed back to the compound the internal conflict she had dealt with a few months ago returned.

'Was Sasuke still her friend?'


	9. Morino Ibiki's Excess of Dramatic Pauses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.

The environment inside the classroom was pretty dense. Everyone, even their own village shinobi, looked hostile towards each other. She matched glares directed to her with her own and, under her gaze, none of them could hold their stare.

The rookies filled the classroom one team after another, Hinata-sama's team entering the second. The poor girl cowered under the intensity of the stares and tried her best not to look at anyone in the eye, her true weakness embarrassingly evident.

Finally, Sasuke's team entered. The three of them were obviously surprised, their presence being the target of the whole classroom for being the last ones.

Neji noted the pink-haired girl –Sakura, she reminded herself- scanned the crowd nervously as...

"Sasuke-kun, you're late!" a girly voice exclaimed.

Her gaze was drawn by a blonde clinging to a very annoyed Sasuke. It looked like the girl was not fazed at all by drawing all the attention towards her and Sasuke's team.

"I've been eagerly waiting for you ever since I hear that I could see you for the first time in a long time." Neji almost felt sorry for the Uchiha. A fangirl.

"Get away from Sasuke-kun! You Ino-pig!" Another voice retorted. Neji had thought that Sakura wasn't that poor brained after having realized the genjutsu nature back in the registration but now she felt even sorry for Sasuke. A fangirl in his own team. The thought made her cringe –inwardly of course.

The two girls continued their bicker until the blonde's team joined the conversation.

"What, are you three going to take this troublesome exam too?" asked a boy with a pineapple-like hairstyle. The way he dragged himself made her feel aversion towards that boy. His layback attitude would not lead him anywhere…less to chunin.

"Hey, it's the idiot trio." The other Sasuke teammate piped.

"All of them are more like idiots." Tenten muttered by her side with a snicker.

"They're going to be in for a big surprise once the exams begin." Was her reply.

"Yeah! Found you all!" another voice joined. Kami-sama, if there's more of them I don't know what I'll do. The girl groaned in her mind.

"So I see that everyone's here." The same boy said. He had a wild aspect and…a puppy on top of his head?

"Is he allowed to bring that?" she asked in a low voice.

"I…guess." Was Lee's equally hushed response though unsure.

That's when she noticed the heiress hiding behind the dog boy.

"Hello." She said in a low voice with insecurity dripping from her voice.

The rookies continued discussing, and Neji could bet they had forgotten about the existence of the rest of the participants and of the growing aversion of them towards their small group.

Finally, an older boy approached them.

"You should quiet down a little." The silver-haired boy said before scanning them. "So you're the nine rookies that just graduated from the academy, correct?" he did not wait for an answer as he continued. "You're all fooling around with those cute faces…Geez, this isn't a field trip."

The gray-haired boy and the rookies started a conversation, and so everyone lost interest on them. Neji could not make out what they were saying but was able to see the boy kneeling on the ground and taking some cards before her view was blocked by Hinata's teammate. She drifted her attention to the other contestants, white and cold as snow eyes stopping on each of them.

Suddenly, out of her peripheral vision, she caught fast hostile movements. The ones from the sound had approached the rookies and the room stayed silent, watching the interaction, waiting for the next movement of either part, hoping to get a glimpse at their abilities.

The one who moved first was a hunched man draped in bandages. He attacked the silver-haired jounin throwing a punch which the other one dodged.

'Good speed and reflexes' the girl noted in her head, her eyes narrowing. 'Not a rival for my speed and less for Lee's though'

A triumphal grin spread across the leaf shinobi before he suddenly dropped to his knees, emptying his stomach contents.

'He did not touch him…then how?...' Neji's mind automatically gave her the solution. 'He expelled chakra. Like the Juuken...but not quite.'

"Lee, what do you think about that attack?"

"There was no problem in dodging it. There must be some kind of trick." her green-cladded teammate responded with a frown.

"Remember when we spar together." She said.

It took a brief moment before both Tenten's and Lee's eyes widened in realization.

"You don't mean…?"

"No, but his technique is a bit similar on that way." She eyed Hinata to see her expression. The girl looked as dumbfounded as the rest, not having noticed it, and Neji inwardly scoffed.

Suddenly, a potent and commanding voice boomed across the room as a smoke curtain appeared with a 'poof'.

"Quiet down! You punks!" Everyone watched with anticipation as the smoke cleared, revealing a bulky man with a cloth tied around his head and a long coat, a scarred face, and a group of shinobi behind him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." He spoke in a harsh voice that sounded not sorry at all. "I am the examiner of the 1st test of the Chunin Selection Exams, Morino Ibiki."

He suddenly pointed at the shinobi from the Sound.

"You three from the Hidden Village of Sound, don't think you can do anything you want before the exam. Do you want us to fail you already?"

The smirks were not wiped away from the sound gennin as the one who had attacked answered, his voice denoting no regret at all.

"I'm sorry. I was excited since this is my first exam."

Ibiki smirked –a sadistic grin– and turned to the rest of the participants.

"This is a good chance to say this. You are not allowed to fight each other during the exam unless given permission by the examiners." He continued. "Even if permission is given, you are not allowed to kill the other." He lastly added in a grave voice. "Pigs who go against me will fail immediately. Understood?"

Everyone stayed silent until one of the Sound (who else could have been) spoke.

"This exam seems so soft and easy." The shinobi behind the examiner chuckled.

"We will now begin the first exam of the Chunin Selection Exams. Turn in your applications, take one of this number tags, and sit down where the number tells you." The man explained showing them said tags. "Then we will pass the papers for the written exam."

Neji walked ahead of her teammates and grabbed her tag, taking her place and waiting for the exam. Every team had been separated from each other, which proved that part of the evaluation would be individual. Since it was a test it was safe to assume its purpose was to test their analytical abilities one by one.

The examiner began explaining the rules. Neji paid attention, her eyes narrowing as each rule passed. When the rule of the points passed, both Tenten and her crossed glances. Both of them would be okay. Lee wasn't the brightest bulb but the two of them would be able to make the team pass. Then, as a bucket of cold water, the rule that stated if one of the participants got zero fell on them. Okay, Lee wasn't that dumb to score a zero so they would be okay…she hoped.

The exam began and so did everybody.

'Okay. A cipher as a first problem. Those take time, I'll do it at the end. Next one is…The parabola B represents the shuriken's maximum throwing distance of the enemy ninja, A, from a height of 7 meters…'

As the girl's eyes continued to rake over the exam, her brow creased. That kind of problems had not been taught in the Academy. She returned to the cipher one but found out it was incredibly hard. It was not impossible but it would take her more than the 45 minutes given.

She closed her eyes and leaned back, her arms crossed.

'Okay, first the rules. You begin with ten points, each mistake is one point less. The points are graded by team. If a person gets zero, the whole team fails. If you're caught cheating you have three points less. If you're caught three times you and your team are out. The teams are separated so they won't be able to help each other. There are minimal ten chunin seeing that nobody cheats. They are way too much, that way you can't cheat without being caught. Why aren't you failed the first time you're caught? How can…?' Her eyes opened when it dawned on her. The object of the exam was not solving it. It was to test their information retribution skills without being caught.

She caught Tenten's eye on the reflect of the kunai the boy was holding. Her lips quirked and activated her Byakugan.

As Tenten saw the veins bulge out her skin and caught on what Neji was doing it did not took him long enough to figure out the rest for himself.

With her inverted colored vision, the girl quickly found someone with their exam answered and began scribbling down what she saw.

In a span of ten minutes, she already had the whole exam copied and there was nothing else to do but wait. She had spent a good 15 minutes trying to solve the exam and figuring out the true purpose of the exam plus the ten she had spent copying left her with 20 spare minutes. Her head hurt a bit after the continuous strain of having the Byakugan activated for ten minutes straight but it wasn't anything she couldn't bear with. 'It wasn't worse than the curse mark' she was bitterly reminded by her inner voice.

She used her spare time to scan the rest of the participant who were still scribbling or she had seen had their sheets in white. One of the rookies, the blond idiot from Sasuke's team, had his sheet still blank the last time she had checked. If he failed, also Sasuke was out, which meant they would not have a chance to face each other at the exams.

The exact moment the 45 minutes were over, the examiner spoke.

"Looks like we've already dropped the incompetent ones. I will now give the problem since 45 minutes have already passed." He continued. "Okay. I will now give the 10th problem!"

Everybody was over the edge of their seats, waiting for it, herself included.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

An excitement rush shook Sasuke's body as Morino Ibiki announced the last part of the test.

'Took you long enough.'

"Yes, but before that, there's a thing I must say…" He added. The boy's eyes narrowed as he waited for the rest. "There will be one special rule for this last question."

In that moment the door opened revealing one of the contestants of the Sand. One of the genin they had encountered –Gaara's teammate. Sasuke suddenly paid more attention to the situation. 'What method did they used to get the information?' the Uchiha wondered.

The examiner smirked at him.

''You're lucky." The sand shinobi stared hard at Ibiki as he spoke. "Your puppet show didn't have to go to a waste." The boy's eyes widened as he dumbly stood there.

"Oh well, sit down." The gennin quickly proceeded to his seat. Once everyone was settled down he continued. Sasuke's eyes were trained on the man's hard features and prominent scars as he spoke.

"I will now explain. This is…" he paused for a moment. "a hopeless rule." 'Dramatic' "First, you're going to choose if you wish to take this tenth problem or not."

'Chose whether we're going to take it or not?'

Suddenly the girl on Gaara's team, a blonde, raised her voice in complaint. Her rash attitude being visible through that action alone.

"Chose? So what happens if we don't take the tenth problem?"

Ibiki answered calmly, a slight sadistic tone in his voice which denoted how much he enjoyed their anxiety.

"If you choose not to take it, your points will be reduced to zero. In other words, you will fail. Your two other teammates will fail along with you." 'Something tells me the outcome of the question will be worse that failing it.' Sasuke bitterly thought as he glanced from the corner of his eye his two teammates.

The murmurs did not took long to emerge.

"What's the meaning of that?" "Of course we're going to choose to take it!" "Teammates also failing is bull!" They quieted down when the scarred man spoke again.

"And here's the other rule." 'Of course it wasn't that easy, morons.' "If you choose to take it and get it wrong, you will…" Sasuke was starting to dislike his dramatic pauses already, the tense atmosphere increasing with each of them. "Lose the privilege to take the Chunin Exams forever."

Shock shook Sasuke. 'But…there already were people who had taken the exams before…' Sasuke's trail of thoughts being spoken by the loud complains of one of his fellow rookies.

"What kind of dumb rule is that?!" the boy exclaimed standing up and pointing an angry finger at Ibiki. "There should be those who have taken the Chunin Exams in the past!" His dog's approving bark backing up his statement.

The examiner's lips curved upwards as he began chuckling. It was cold humorless laugh which sounded almost mechanical. It was clearly mocking, that was something Sasuke was sure of.

"You were unlucky." His grave voice stated. "This year, I am the rule. That is why I gave you the option of quitting." The room suddenly submerged in silence –a heavy silence–, the only audible thing being some aspirants agitated breathing and Ibiki's voice. "Those who are confident can choose not to take it, and take the exam next year, or the year after that." The sadistic's mocking laugh emerging again as every participant pondered carefully over their decision. "Let us begin. Those who will not be taking the tenth question, raise your hands."

Sasuke's fists closed, and he could feel a single bead of sweat sliding from his forehead and losing itself somewhere along his jaw. The exam had not been an easy one in terms of the questions alone, and that was how it had been designed. 'Will I be able to answer the question?' He was very confident of his skills and intelligence, but, a small voice in his mind had planted a doubt which kept growing as more and more participants raised their hands. Then there was Naruto. 'If he answers wrong the question (a very high possibility), his dreams and aspirations of becoming Hokage would be frustrated.' The dumb shinobi who, even if it pained him to admit it, was considered by him as his friend. Best friend to be more precise. The thought of other friend of his, an old one who he had almost broken ties with and that was also in that same room, came to his mind. Said girl was at the very back of the room and if he backed down he wouldn't be able to fight Naruto or her for that matter. There were also other talented people as Gaara and Rock Lee who he wanted to test his skills against. Those thoughts made his decision final. In a shinobi's life, there were always risks. The decision was now on Naruto's and Sakura's shoulders alone.

Sasuke watched as Sakura's hand slowly began to rise. The direction Sakura's gaze was directed did not was missed either. On that moment, Naruto's hand beat Sakura's and stood tall and wavering on the air. A tiny part of Sasuke, a part he felt ashamed of, felt a bit relieved. Naruto's dream was still possible…well, as possible for a loser like him could be…

A loud sound echoed as the blonde's hand slammed on the desk.

"Screw you! I'm not going to run away!" Everyone stared in awe at Naruto, himself included. "I'll take the problem. Even if I become a gennin forever, I am going to become Hokage no matter what anyway!" to emphasize his point he stood up and finally declared before sitting down with his arms closed. "I'm not scared!"

He wasn't even thinking about us…he has quite the spirit.' The Uchiha thought amused, and with a great weight off his shoulders.

"I will ask one more time. This is the choice that will impact your life. If you want to quit, this is the chance." The examiner repeated to which Naruto answered once again.

"I'm not going to take back my words. That's my nindo."

Sasuke couldn't help but think how much Naruto had grown. 'Had he also made some progress?'

This time it was evident that no hands would be raised.

"Nice determination." He complimented. "Then, for the First Exam, everyone here…" he paused once again. "Passes!"

Everyone's shocked expressions would surely have been priceless if he had paid attention instead of being too shocked as the rest to do it.

"Wait, what is the meaning of that?" Sakura asked rising from her seat. "We pass already? What about the tenth question?"

This time the man actually smiled as if he had been told a good joke. Luckily there was not the sadistic tinge ever present.

"There was no such thing to begin with. Or you can call the two-choice question the tenth problem."

This time the fierce blonde from the sand raised her voice.

"Hey! So what were those previous nine problems?! It was all a waste!"

"No, it's not." Ibiki contradicted. "The nine problems accomplished their purpose. The purpose to test each individual's information gathering skills."

The blonde, now more calmly asked.

"Information gathering skills?"

"First, this test's purpose lies on the first rule. Your pass-fail decision is based on your three-person teams." The man began explaining. "By giving that idea, we have given you an unprecedented of pressure to try and not be a nuisance to your team. But these problems cannot be solved by you genins. So, most of the people here must have come to the conclusion 'I have to cheat to get points.' In other words, this exam assumed everybody was going to cheat, so we snuck two chunin who knew the answers to be targets of cheating." Said chunin raised their hands. It was obvious Naruto had not noticed judging his behavior during and after the exam. Anyways the blonde spoke quite laidback.

"It was so obvious. It would be so weird not to notice. Right, Hinata?" he heard Naruto say.

Sasuke sweatdropped. 'He didn't notice it…'

The examiner's voice rose again.

"But those who just cheated like a fool failed, of course." He said as he began to undo his bandana.

Everyone looked baffled at the sight of what laid underneath it. His bald head was marred with several scars from burns, cuts and a lot of other things. It looked like his head had served as a battlefield for a small but intense battle.

"Information can have a greater value than life at times, and in missions and battlefields information is contested with the lives of people."

"How awful…burnt marks, screw holes, and cut marks. They are the scars of torture." Sasuke noted aloud.

"The information that an enemy gets after being noticed by a third person will not necessarily be accurate. Remember this." The man said. "Getting incorrect information can cause a great damage to your teammates and village. So, we made you all gather information in the form of cheating. We kicked out those who were lacking in that field. That's what went on."

The Suna blonde apparently had more complaints.

"But I still can't agree to that last question…"

"But this tenth question was the main question of the first exam." The man interrupted, making it sound as it if was obvious as he tied his bandana back.

"What do you mean?" Sakura voiced her doubt.

"Let me explain." He responded with patience even as the number of questions kept increasing. "The tenth question was a 'take-or-not-take' choice. Needless to say, it was a painful two-choice problem. Those who did not take it failed with their teams. If you chose to take it and could not answer it, your right to take the exam would have been taken away forever. It was a very insincere problem." Silence reigned once again as he paced. "How about this two=choice problem…" he stopped. "Let's assume you become Chunin. Your mission is to capture a secret document. The number of enemy ninja, their abilities, and armaments are unknown, and there may be traps that the enemy ninja has set up. Now, will you accept this mission or not?" 'Now I get the reason behind the tenth question' "Just because your life and the life of your teammates may be in danger, are you able to avoid dangerous missions? The answer is no. There are missions that carry heavy risks, but cannot be avoided. The ability to show your courage to your teammates when needed, and the ability to get through a bad situation. That's what we look for in a Chunin, a squad leader. Those who cannot bet their fate in a critical situation, those who give up when given the chance because there is a next year, and let their minds sway over an uncertain future…fools who carry a determination like that have no right to become chunin." He finally added. "That is what I believe. I am saying that you here who have chosen to take it gave the right answer for the difficult tenth question. You can deal with the difficulties you will face. You have broken through the entrance. The first part of the Chunin Selection Exams ends now. I wish you luck."

'Now's when the fun starts.'

"Alright! Wish us luck! All right! All right! Yeah! Yeah!" Naruto began cheering though oddly enough it bothered no one. It was what everybody was feeling.

The cheerful scene was broken –like the window– with a crashing sound. Kunai embedded on the ceiling hung a curtain with some inscription, serving as background for a fierce looking woman.

"Everybody, there's no time to be happy." The woman's powerful voice boomed. "I am the Second Examiner, Mitarashi Anko. Let's go to the next exam!" she raised a fist and yelled. "Follow me!" The examiners seemed to be getting worse if the crazy woman was not an example. Were all the high ranked shinobi that weird? There was Kakashi-sensei with his R-rated book and Lee's weird-sensei. 'Which also happens to be Neji's' the boy remembered suddenly feeling sorry for her.

"Grasp the atmosphere." Ibiki grumbled. The woman looked annoyed now.

"78?" she questioned with a scowl. "Ibiki, you let 26 teams pass? The First Exam must have been too soft!"

"It looks like there are a lot of excellent students this time." He responded. She sighed but smirked anyways.

"Oh, well…" she started before stating maliciously. "I am going to make more than the half of teams fail in the next exam."

'More than the half…?'

"I'm getting excited" the woman reminded him of a prey animal. "I will give the details tomorrow. We will go somewhere else, so ask your jounin teachers about the rally point and time." No one uttered a sound. "That's is all. Dismissed."

The room filled out in order, everyone reuniting with their teams and discussing the next day's test or arranging a celebration.

"Aren't you happy we passed, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura's voice said by his side. He only nodded. If she weren't that of a nuisance her presence would be bearable or even enjoyable. The girl was smart.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted the Suna trio. They were already leaving. No words exchanged between them –at least Gaara. The other two were conversing quietly. The other rookies were also still there though they were on their way to the exit. By the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of green. Rock Lee. Another boy with his hair tied in a low ponytail and a bang over his eye was talking with Neji. The girl's attitude did not look like it had changed. Her perfect posture in place, as well as the ever present frown, were in place as she conversed with her teammates. Feeling herself being observed, the girl quickly turned to look at the person which gaze was fixated on her. When her white orbs collided with black ones, Sasuke immediately averted his eyes.

Naruto followed his previous gaze, a mischievous smile spreading on his face.

"Got a crush on Bushy brows?" the boy joked.

"Shut up, dobe."

"Or is it his girl teammate?" He continued teasing. This time –he was not sure if luckily or not- was Sakura who talked.

"Stop talking nonsense, Naruto!" the girl said suddenly sounding enraged and shaking Naruto from the shoulders.

Sasuke ignored both of them, staring at the Hyuga for a moment one last time and pondering.

'Were they still friends?'


	10. An Avenger's Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I check the chapter at least three times before uploading it but still, sorry if you find any grammatical mistake. Enjoy! :D
> 
> A/N2: Part 2 (Shippuden) starts somewhere in this chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.

The next day the Part 2 of the exams began. The day was pretty nice but the mood was tense. The training grounds 44 was only a place Neji had heard about once that she had overheard some Hyugas having way too much fun with a sake bottle. One had dared his fellow jounin to spend the night in the forest of Death and the man had promptly declined it.

They had to fill in a form so in case they died Konoha held none of the responsibilities. Whereas she had expected something like that, having the paper on her hands made the whole ordeal more real. She signed her name and, along with her team, they collected their scroll. An earth one. They were assigned gate 41 which luckily wasn't the farthest away.

At two o'clock, the chunin guard in their gate unlocked it, standing there. At 2:30 pm, he retired from their gate opening the door. Only a blur was seen before they were already deep in the forest.

Their team, at a great speed, ran through the treetops.

"Don't get so hasty, Lee. It has only begun." Neji commented.

"I know but, I can't stay still when thinking of the strong enemies that await us." Was his heated response. Neji scoffed lightly though it held no bite.

"Hot-blooded fool."

The girl found them a cave semi-hidden by bushes to spend the night and they proceeded to find some food as the first thing.

"Lee, you fish something, I'll hunt something more and Neji, you look for some berries, okay?" Tenten said as he twirled a kunai between his fingers. Neji had never liked being ordered around but complied.

They had cooked all the meat when the sun was still high and far away from their hiding spot. Once it was all cooked they drank enough water and filled their bottles before grabbing everything and returning to their hiding spot just before the last rays of sun disappeared. Several screams had been heard but none of them were too close nor familiar to them.

"Tomorrow, early morning we begin." Neji said as they dined in complete darkness inside the cave.

The rabbit they had earlier cooked was cold by now but the berries she had collected made the meal more complete and bearable.

Neji did the first watch, with her Byakugan active for five minutes with a 10 minutes span of rest. She was not aware of the time but about three hours later she woke Tenten up. The girl, once her teammate had taken his position, laid where he previously had and fell into a deep slumber.

Tenten repeated the process giving his position to Lee at about 2:00 in the morning and then, occupying the spot his bushy-browed teammate had left behind as he also fell into a dreamless sleep.

The morning coolness licked the girl's uncovered skin and she inwardly cursed the fact that she wore short sleeves and shorts. It was enough to wake her up. She slightly shook Tenten's shoulder and the boy groggily propped himself up with a groan. It was that moment when Lee decided to make an apparition.

"Oh, my youthful teammates, I was about to wake you up." He declared cheerily.

They sky was still dark when they lifted their temporary camp and, once they left no traces of their stance there, reunited to discuss what to do next.

"We were able to secure food and water during the first 12 hours and right now there should be a ton of teams resting." If my calculus are correct, it should be about 5 or 6 in the morning and each of us had a good four-hour sleep. "As planned, we will use this time to our advantage. We will separate and scout the area." Her teammates listened intently. "However, whether you see another team or not…" the girl stood up and embedded a kunai in the dirt before them. "come back here. Got it?"

Tenten straightened himself from the tree he was leaning in. "Okay" Lee made a military salute from his crouching position before speaking. "Roger."

The three of them stood up and Neji raised her bandaged arm

"Yosh," the girl said. "Break!"

:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Neji made her way to a clearing. It was already early morning and she had found a team. Her eyes narrowed as she approached, kunai in hand.

"Stop hiding and come out." She commanded.

Behind those bushes, hurried whispers were interchanged between the trio.

"But we hid as fast as possible." Ino said incredulously.

"Geez, a troublesome woman found us." Shikamaru groaned as Ino scoffed.

"Plan 1 –Hide and avoid trouble-, failed! Now that this happened we have to execute Plan 2.1."

"What? Really?"

"N-no, Ino, please…not 2.1." was Shikamaru's stuttering response.

"What, you have a problem with that? It will work for sure." The girl assured them.

They ran out of the bushes and took their positions.

"Oh my! How lucky of us to find here last's year number one rookie, Hyuga Neji-sama, here!" Ino squeaked.

"C-can I have your autograph?" Shikamaru added embarrassed.

"Oh" Neji sighed as she began turning around. "It's just you three."

Ino gave Shikamaru a look and he actually looked as he wanted to cry. He stepped in front, untied his hair and swung it by his side.

"I-I've always wanted to see you once…"

"Begone."

Shikamaru sighed relieved, red from the humiliation. However, Ino did not took it that well. 'How dare that bitch not pay attention to my acting, or even daring to turn Shika down like that! Agh, now I'm angry! Kuso!' she began pumping her fists towards Neji's back, but the Hyuga was having none of it.

"You're raising your fists towards me. Does that mean you want to fight?" her icy voice asked, still giving them her back.

The blonde fangirl straightened looking afraid but managing to get the words out.

"N-no, not at all…"

"Then begone," she ordered, glaring at them through narrowed eyes. "Even if I take the scroll from cowards like you, I'll just become the laughing stock of the village."

Without wasting another second they returned to their hiding spot behind the bushes. Their action made Neji scoff at them.

"They're like cockroaches."

Her scanning of the area continued as she barely used the Byakugan, storing her chakra for the rest of the day. Her round continued until the time to rendezvous came.

Neji arrived and only had to wait a minute or less before Tenten did.

"Huh? Lee's not here?" the boy asked looking at his surroundings for the green-clad boy. Neji shook her head, her furrows deep.

"He's late, that Lee…" Tenten sighed. "Something's wrong. He's always on time." The boy pointed out before glancing at his teammate. "Maybe he encountered an enemy…Did he?!"

Neji's closed eyes opened before letting out a soft chuckle.

"That's not possible." Were her words accompanied by a smile. That caught Tenten kind off guard. The fact that Neji was confident on Lee's abilities to some degree whereas most of the time the girl did not show it, that is. "Anyways," she added with a frown. "let's look for Lee."

"Okay."

Both gennin ran at great speed, following Lee's trace of chakra with Neji's Byakugan and worried expressions on their faces.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

It did not took her too long to spot Lee's unconscious form, laying on the ground in front of the pink haired girl who's chakras reserves were almost gone.

"Neji, what do you see?"

"Something bad, Tenten we gotta hurry up."

With her bloodline limit activated she could see the previous third rate gennin that had recurred to ass-kissing to save their assess. Their jutsus, she noted with interest, were good but not as good as their teamwork. Still, they were full of flaws. Her attention focused on the still forms behind Sakura and Lee. The first one was the blond whose unconscious state was most likely due to chakra depletion. The other one, however, she recognized perfectly well. Sasuke's chakra was flaring strangely, a chakra foreign to his body was flowing freely through it.

They made it on time to hear the n=bandaged sound nin saying.

"-blood from her mouth, it looks like that if we kill Kin, that girl will die too."

"Would you kill your own teammate?" the pineapple-haired boy asked incredulously.

"If we have to, yes." The other one answered, a wicked glint in his eyes. He raised his hand towards the lying form of their teammate, who according to what Neji had gathered, was possessed by the blonde fangirl.

The lazy boy struggled, trying to think of something before groaning "This is over"

The remaining sound nins prepared to finish them off.

"Close, you almost had us." One said

"You let your guard down." The other one added.

"How disgusting."

Everyone on the clearing looked up to see Neji and Tenten, standing atop a tree branch. The look on the girl's face was one of anger.

"You bucolic nonentities think you're all that, just because your sonic powers…" her icy words sounded clear and cold throughout the now silent clearing. "were strong enough to whump these novices!"

"What?" the now enraged bandaged nin said, narrowing his eyes.

"Lee!" Tenten suddenly exclaimed by her side once he spotted their fallen teammate. Neji had only seen him through her Byakugan, so once she spotted him in his disarrayed state, anger bubbled inside her.

"It looks like he screwed up." the girl hissed.

"You guys just keep coming out like roaches!"

"That bobbed haired kid is in our team" Neji's calm voice began, the anger of them calling them roaches and having left Lee like that slowly overpowering her. "Looks like you went overboard with him!" she yelled, her Byakugan activating on its own.

Everybody stared in awe and fear at the sight of the pultruding veins around her eyes. "If you're going to continue to fight, we will fight with everything we have."

Her hand already was on a hand seal, preparing to jump down and avenge Lee. Tenten also was ready with kunai in hand until she felt something. Her Byakugan deactivated and her eyes widened before Tenten noticed her sudden stiffened posture and dropped his kunai. Through her Byakugan she could see the strange chakra flowing with more intensity than before through the Uchiha's body.

"What is it Neji?" the boy asked worriedly.

The other nin, completely unaware of that spoke.

"If you don't like what we're doing stop showing off and come down here!"

"No," she forced herself to smirk on that situation. "it seems there's no need for me to do that."

In front of three teams a tough demeanor was essential, a clear message of 'do-not-mess-with-me' but even then, it was turning out to be a bit difficult to keep her façade in that situation. Especially if Tenten showed enough for both of them. Lee, a person who she had grown to consider as close as a friend was gravely injured and, the other who, in some moment she had considered a brother, was laying on the ground, dangerous chakra engulfing him.

The rest of the nins seemed to suddenly notice the powerful chakra emanating from Sasuke and their faces, actually showed a mix of apprehension and fear.

The powerful chakra surrounded Sasuke with more intensity as before as he slowly stood up, arms hanging limply in front of him, as a ragged doll. The chakra was powerful enough to send its malicious waves, making everyone feel it.

"Sakura." Sasuke spoke.

Tenten's eyes were big and were waiting with anticipation his next move. It was like a deadly animal, enhancing and sent chills down your spine but one couldn't just tear their gazes apart.

Under her emotionless mask, however, her mind was rushing, analyzing the whole situation. 'What has happened to you, Sasuke?'

"Sakura." Sasuke called again, earning a soft gasp from the beaten-up girl.

"Who did that to you?" was his question. Even if with his voice it was more than evident the hate he felt at that moment, the chakra made its part, conveying the Uchiha's feelings through malicious waves as it made its wicked pattern visible on Sasuke's flesh.

"Sasuke-kun…your body…" the disarrayed girl noted.

The Uchiha's attention changed to his own hand as he stared at it with surprise.

"Don't worry. More importantly, I can feel the power surging inside me…I am feeling good right now."

"What is that, Neji." Tenten whispered by her side, his gaze still stuck to what laid under them.

"…I…donot know, Tenten." Was her mumbled reply. 'Snap out of it, Uchiha!'

"He gave it to me." Sasuke said, the Sound nin voicing her thoughts.

"Who?"

"I finally understand now, I'm an avenger." And those three words were enough for Neji to widen her eyes if only slightly.

Those words snapped something inside her and all the memories came more vividly to her. "You will live and train very hard so you can take revenge on who took away your family." Were the words she had uttered to Sasuke the first time they had met. Two lonely orphans that had met by fate's will accompanied by bitter words bonded them. Of course, the bond would later change to one of true friendship, but the beginning of all had been that. Her convictions were in the same place they had been when she had met him 3 years ago, her plans on making the Main Branch pay still embedded in her skull but she had never meant for him to recur to forbidden methods. The reason they had trained for two years was with the initial objective to achieve their goals through their strength alone and, to say she was disappointed on Sasuke for recurring to whoever had granted that, was an understatement.

"I must obtain power no matter what, even if I must let the devil take hold of my body." Was the end of his rant. 'How could you have fallen this low?'

"Now say it, Sakura. Who the hell hurt you?!"

The fallen kunoichi kept her mouth shut, but who spoke was the Sound nin with a smirk on his face.

"I did!"

The other gennin must have sensed the danger since the one holding the girl's body urged his team to hide. 'Smart boy.'

"Shouldn't we go down and grab Lee?" Tenten asked her, his worried gaze falling over Lee' still form.

"No, if we were to interfere his attention would focus on us and-" her explanation was interrupted by a blast on the clearing. The cocky sound nin was expelling a great gust of wind from his hands with a devastating force. The force was so strong that it nearly threw them off the branch and she had to cover her face with her arms. Once it was over, the girl quickly activated her Byakugan but found that the targets of the attack were nowhere near the vicinity, instead Sasuke was behind the guy.

With one powerful strike, Sasuke sent the guy flying till the other side of the clearing, the fallen genin laying on the floor, a shocked expression painted all over his face.

The Uchiha, showing no mercy, threw a jutsu of fire but once the sound nin dissipated it, shuriken came flying towards him instead of the fireballs. The distraction was enough for Sasuke to pin the nin to the floor, holding him by his arms.

Sasuke's mouth contorted into a wicked smirk as he placed his foot on the nin's back, still holding the arms in place.

Realization dawned on Neji as she realized what he was going to do.

"You seem to be proud of your arms." Sasuke began, pressing his foot harder against the man's back.

"Stop it!" the man begged.

Sasuke pressed harder, and harder until…SNAP!

The sickening sound of bones cracking echoed through the clearing.

And that was when she knew she had lost him.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Neji woke up finding herself on a hospital bed. Her whole body was aching but all came to her. 'A mission…too much blood loss, I…lost consciousness?'

"Oh, Neji-san, good to see you up, I was just going to check up on you." Shizune said smiling as she walked through the door.

"H…how long was I out?" Neji asked, her voice crooked due to her dry throat.

"A good three days. It seems you had chakra depletion apart from the blood loss, and a concussion on your head. Your cousin told me you had been on a mission with her some days ago and had not had enough rest." The medic nin informed her. "You are ready to leave this afternoon after I make some evaluations. Also, you'll be given a week to rest up well so we can have you top form again."

Neji nodded in understanding.

"Thanks, Shizune-dono."

"Oh, no need to be so formal, Neji-san, though you're welcome." The black haired woman said with a smile. "Also…do you have recurrent nightmares?"

Neji got a bit taken aback by the question but answered anyways.

"No, I don't. Why?"

"Oh, well, it's only that during your stance here you kept wriggling and seemed to not be having pleasant dreams." Shizune commented before grabbing her clipping board and granting the Hyuga a last smile. "Well, a nurse shall come and release you in a few minutes, see you and rest well during this week off."

Neji nodded her head and offered a smile of her own before Shizune exited the room closing the door behind her.

Neji was left pondering. She remembered a bit of what she had been dreaming. Those weren't dreams, they were memories.

Memories of the first time she had met the now rogue Uchiha, their last time talking and some memories of her team and the chunin exams. All of that had been four years ago.

Not two seconds later a blur of green came rushing into her direction.

"Neji!" Lee held her in a tight embrace, tears sliding down his cheeks.

"L-lee…I…can't…!"Neji struggled to free herself from the bone crushing embrace as she fought to breathe.

"Lee, you brute, let her go! She can barely breathe." Tenten exclaimed from the door.

At this, Lee quickly freed her with a gasp of shock.

"Oh, my youthful rival, I am so sorry!" the hyper boy exclaimed. Neji had to swallow a wince since the rest of her bandaged body was still bruised and sore.

"Glad to see you're alright." Tenten said as he walked towards her.

"It was nothing serious, just chakra depletion." Neji told him.

"Yeah, I know. And blood loss, a head concussion and sleep deprivation." Tenten added with a knowing smirk as Neji glared at him. "It was this two knuckleheads who were worried sick." The boy said with a laugh.

"Two?"

"Neji!" another blur launched at her but Tenten stopped him in time.

"Can't you two stay put?" Tenten groaned.

Tamaki had stayed as chunin at his 18 years.

"Hehe, sorry." Both boys apologized sheepishly, rubbing the nape of their necks.

"Oh, Tamaki, one of your teammates came looking or you. Apparently, they needed your help for one of the reconstructions." Tenten suddenly informed, taking the paper where the direction was written down from his pocket and handing it to the boy.

"I had almost forgot! See you later guys, get well Neji!" the boy said before rushing outside.

Neji shook her head in amusement.

"How are the reparations going?" Neji asked.

"Oh, still going, still going. Lord Danzo still isn't back and so is Naruto." Tenten said.

"Hn."

"I swear he's a slave driver! His first days he kept sending us to missions without rest plus the reparations. Then, now he leaves and the person he leaves in charge is way worse!" her teammate grumbled. "No wonder you had sleep deprivation."

Neji let out a small grunt but kept quiet.

"Now, on a more serious note." Tenten said, all the playful traces leaving his face as he leaned over her, his mouth mere inches from her ear. "There are rumors that a falcon came yesterday to Konoha, informing Danzo's death."

At this Neji's brows furrowed.

"And it said Sasuke was responsible for it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bookmark? Kudos? ;D


	11. The Ramen Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.

After pronouncing those words her teammate retreated, his face blank, expecting a reaction from her. Lee had already left some time ago.

"So that's how it is." She mumbled. "Has the village sent anyone after him?"

"No. We don't have the luxury of sending any men after him. Without a leader and the village destroyed, that is."

"I see. And what is Naruto's opinion on this?"

"Well…he doesn't seem perturbed, he's not even angry at Sasuke. Which brings me to the next point."

Neji's eyebrow arched as he began.

"Naruto asked for all eleven of us, we that were on the chunins exams, to reunite. He wants to talk about Sasuke, it's serious. The meeting was supposed to happen two days ago, but when he knew you were in the hospital he decided to wait."

"So it really is important." She noted, her brows furrowing. Tenten was sitting next to her, his fingers tapping slightly on the bedside and deep in thought.

"There's something you aren't telling me, Tenten." She stated noticing his stressed behavior.

Tenten chuckled slightly though it held no feeling behind it.

"Nothing can hide from those eyes, huh?" he sighed. "I was planning on telling you once you were released but I guess the cat's outta the bag."

Neji waited patiently though in her face it was visible how worried she grew.

"We're officially in war."

"You're gonna fight Sasuke alone?!" Tenten roared angrily, crashing his fist against a box of supplies. Some nearby birds flew away, scared by the sound. "And you think all of us are just gonna stand here and let you?!"

No one backed up and, instead, stared at Naruto with the same angry face.

"Tenten's right, Naruto. We can't afford to let you have your way on this one. This is a problem for the whole village." This time was the ever silent Shino who spoke, adjusting his dark glasses.

"So this is what you meant when you said you'd 'Explain when we get back'?" Kiba snarled. "We're all prepared to kill Sasuke, man!"

"I'm not trying to be selfish." Was Naruto's plain response though a tinge of anger was present.

"Naruto…" everyone turned towards Shikamaru who had remained silent like her the whole ordeal. "You're no trying to convince us to let you handle this so you can turn around and protect Sasuke, are you?"

Everyone stayed silent, eyeing the blond boy warily.

"No, trust me. I won't defend him."

And then Neji spoke.

"If he was so weakened from the Kage Summit and killing Danzo, why didn't you just finished him right there?" she inquired flatly and a bit of irritation tinging her voice as she waited for Naruto's answer. Only that Naruto wasn't the one who answered.

"Madara was there too! You're oversimplifying things! Besides-" The pink-haired kunoichi stated angrily before being abruptly interrupted by the Inuzuka. Neji in change gave the girl a slight glare.

"He couldn't have just slipped away! Naruto, you're as strong as they come. You're already a legend for kicking the crap out of Pain! Sasuke wouldn't have stood a-"

'It's doubtable.' Where the Hyuga's dark thoughts.

"The Uchiha is vicious." It was Neji who spoke, to everyone's surprise. "I wouldn't be surprised if after knowing of Naruto's prowess, he used every method possible to surpass him." Were her cold words.

"Neji's right." Naruto admitted, his gaze cast downwards. "I cannot defeat him at his current level. I…just know it."

After Naruto's declaration, everyone was speechless. The distant sound of hammering was the only thing that sounded as well as some birds chirping.

"What do you mean?" Chōji asked.

"I mean that I can't let any of you face Sasuke." Everyone's eyes narrowed, some others eyebrows joined worriedly. "I'm the only one who can fight him."

"What in the world happened? You have to tell us." The elder Hyuga said, her frown deepening.

"I will…when the time is right." Naruto stated seriously before, after being under everyone's intent stares, adopting his carefree attitude again. "Now, if you'll excuse me I'm starving! I'll be at Ichiraku's."

After that statement, Shikamaru sighed and left the place followed by Ino and Chōji, but not without sparing Naruto a last glance.

Naruto's figure was still visible and, after sharing a quick glance with Tenten, they began to take their leave.

"Oi, Neji!"

Neji turned towards the person who had called her name, an eyebrow arched.

"You got out of the hospital today, right?" Naruto asked.

"That's right, why?" she inquired.

"It has been really a while since we talked, with you being jounin and all, care to join me?"

The people remaining there eyed the boy weirdly and then at her though the same disconcert was painted on her face.

"I'll pay, I am a gentleman after all!" he chuckled, his back still towards them.

"…Okay." She agreed, a bit wary.

Naruto waited for her as she walked towards him though Neji couldn't help but to feel guilty at the longing look painted across Hinata's face. On the other hand, Sakura eyed them with her eyes slightly narrowed, her clever mind trying to unravel the meaning behind the Uzumaki's proposal.

By the corner of her eye, she could see how Shino and Kiba guided her cousin out of the place and how Tenten and Sakura followed their example, albeit slowly.

Naruto and Neji made their way to the ramen shop, walking down the busy streets. Some people waved at Naruto as he passed and he waved back at them, a smile on his face.

Neji couldn't help but feel happy for him.

When they arrived, they were greeted by the owner.

"Oh, Naruto! So glad to see you here-" the old man began before he noticed her. "Oh, already bringing girls over, I see." He teased winking at Naruto.

"Shut up, old man. She's just a friend."

"Okay okay, sorry. I'll take your orders now." he chuckled.

Naruto ordered the biggest ramen on the menu while she ordered a medium sized one.

"So, Neji. How's it going!" he started, grinning. "I heard you were on a mission-"

"Naruto." She suddenly cut him off. "I know you didn't ask me here just to catch up."

Naruto's smile immediately faded.

"How are you so sure of that-"

"To the point."

Naruto huffed and, in that moment, their orders arrived.

"Is it okay for you if we eat first? I wasn't lying when I said I was starving." the boy said slightly offended.

Neji nodded and they started to dig in into their respective bowls. To be honest she was also starving.

"Why were you in the hospital?" the boy asked once they finished.

"Just a bit of blood loss."

"Really? Cause Tenten told me that it was sleep deprivation, chakra depl-" Naruto started grinning.

"Okay, okay, if you knew, why the question?" she grumbled to which Naruto responded with a laugh of his own.

"Just teasing!"

"Naruto…" Neji suddenly interrupted him seriously, crossing her legs and preparing for whatever he had to say.

"Oh…right." The Uzumaki's smile disappearing again. "Why are you so adamant not to talk and just...straight to the point?"

"I'm not against the motion but only if your true purpose was that from the beginning. If it suits you, we might meet another day, to catch up."

"Guess you're right." the boy sighed. "And actually, it would be nice…later."

Neji nodded and waited for Naruto to continue.

"Well, you know, after Pain attacked, my house was wrecked up and I ended up sharing a tent with several shinobi. Then, I suddenly remembered Sasuke's old house. It was all it was left from him here and it was the only place where he would stay once he came back so I decided to visit it and check its state after the invasion." Naruto started.

Neji had no idea what it had to do with her but stayed quiet.

"The compound was intact, it being on the outskirts and all had paid off, but I decided to enter and check for any possible damage." He continued. "You know, I think that it was just some kind of excuse."Naruto confessed. "I think I entered there searching for clues…" 'On what?' Neji wondered. "But that's not the point. You see, I think the Hyuga and Uchiha compounds are very different. I had the chance to enter the Bouke and the Souke, both times as a messenger and I was honestly impressed. Aside from the training grounds, everything's pure white." he explained. Neji ha no idea Naruto had entered the Hyuga compound but it was true. The predominant color was white. "Sasuke's house, in change, was dusty and gloomy but you could see that it previously had been painted with various vivid colors. Again I think diverted from the point."

"What I'm trying to say is that I think you had already noticed those differences before, Neji." Naruto finished, staring at her with his blue orbs straight in the eye.

Neji's eyes widened for a fraction of time but that was enough to confirm Naruto's suspicions. Nevertheless, she played dumb.

"I don't know certainly what you're implying but, if what you're saying is that I've been into that place, I don't know where you got that idea from." She said holding his gaze.

"Well, once I was into that compound I entered Sasuke's house and somehow ended up in his room. I was searching for a diary or something that could help me to bring him back but, instead, I found this, in his closet."

Naruto opened his jacket and extracted a small beige bundle. Neji knew what it was before he unfolded it. There, on Naruto's legs, laid that jacket she had given Sasuke, now seven years ago. The jacket was not stained, if only a little dusty but it was in perfect conditions. Obviously, it had been taken care of. There was no way out of this one, her trademark jacket from her preteen years was just in front of her.

Still, she tried her luck.

"I have no idea how it arrived there. If anything I'm a little creeped out. Maybe Uchiha had some sort of fetish with jackets-"

"I'm not that dumb, Neji." Naruto interrupted seriously, his frame getting a bit closer to hers. She, unconsciously, backed off a bit.

"What is your conclusion then, Naruto?" Neji asked in return, mentally scolding herself for showing weakness.

"At first I thought you had some kind of secret romance. I mean, I kind of saw the signs. The way you reacted when he left the village and risked your life, or whenever you two crossed paths those glances you shared, but I never gave it importance." At this Neji's lips quirked downwards. "But…judging from your reaction I think that's not the case" he chuckled. In any case, I wanted to ask you personally."

"I'm not obliged to tell you anything, Naruto." She stated, leaning a bit towards him, their eyes locking in an intense gaze.

"Neji, I'm not playing right now. This isn't something you can hide, it affects us. All of us. Every bit of information about Sasuke is essential to bring him back." Naruto leaned a bit more.

"I thought that what you wanted was to stop him-"

"I am going to stop him and then bring him back."

"I already told you. I don't have an idea of what one of my jackets was doing at his house."

"Oh, that's it? I think you wouldn't know what this was doing there either, huh?" Naruto took out of his pocket a white handkerchief. It had the Bouke emblem on it.

"I-"

"Sasuke wasn't one of keeping things. The handmade handkerchief that Sakura-chan knitted for him was not there and I bet the bastard threw it away."

"I'm not the only Bouke member."

"It's your jacket and I hold not a single doubt it's also your handkerchief. Neji, tell me what link you have to Sasuke." Naruto leaned forwards a bit more. She could see the intensity in those sky eyes and she was sure he could also see the intensity on hers.

"Whatever kind of bond we may have had in the past broke in the instant he left the village. I have no links with traitors." She leaned a bit more in return.

"So you admit you had some sort of relationship with him? And don't call him that. Now you have to tell me, Neji."

"There's where you're wrong, Naruto. You may have saved the village but a gennin has no power over a jounin. And I can call him whatever I wish to, after all, that's what he is." Her gaze narrowed and so did his. They were so close that Neji could see her reflect on his pupils.

"You little-"

"Otou-san! I just finished delivering-!"

Naruto wasn't able to finish whatever he had to say because the Hyuga's lips crashed into his.

Saying that their lips danced in harmony, drowning in passion, would be nothing else but a blatant lie. It was a punch between faces which knocked them both on the ground. Naruto on top of Neji, the girl hitting her head against the floor, groaning in the process.

"Oh my god!" Ayame exclaimed apologizing profusely. "I wasn't looking where I was going, I'm so sorry!"

Neji's head was really sore since it had crashed directly on the floor but her shock was bigger. Both were immobilized, wide eyes and lips locked for a fraction of second before they moved their beat red faces away.

"Get. Off. Me. Idiot." She commanded in a tone that could freeze hell over.

Naruto quickly jumped to his feet and started wiping his mouth with fervor. Neji did the same and rubbed her head afterward. It had really hurt, leaving her a bit dizzy.

Naruto noticed her still on the floor and extended a hand to help her get up but she quickly slapped it away, standing on her own and, on the meanwhile, glaring at Naruto and Ayame.

"I-I'm really sorry. Are you okay, miss-?" Ayame began but was quickly cut off.

"Don't worry." Neji said coldly before facing Naruto again after wiping her mouth with a grimace once more. Ew. He tasted like pork ramen.

"Look! I didn't really meant to, Neji! I'm sorry-!"

"If that was all you had to tell me, or even if it wasn't, I'll take my leave, Uzumaki-san." The Hyuga's use of the boy's last name and the suffix added to it was like a bucket of cold water to him. Neji left the money for both their ramens and left without looking back.

Her strands were long and firm as she continued her angry pace to her residence. Her head was really sore and she was really angry. Besides, shame also figured on her mayhem of emotions. To say that her first kiss happened to be the idiot.

The guard at the gate, after noticing how angry she was, opened the door promptly and made no visual contact.

Neji walked past him and opened her door, closing it before falling on her bed. Her chakras were not aligned enough to meditate but she tried it anyway with no positive results. At the end, she opted for a shower.

The warm water that ran through her body soothed her until all she could feel from her previous anger had faded almost completely. On a more relaxed state, she could finally meditate, with comfy clothes on helping her to do so.

Her success was short lived since the knocking on her door took her out of her trance.

A bit annoyed she opened the door. It was already getting dark.

Hinata was standing there, her eyes puffy and red-rimmed.

"N-Neji onee-san. I-I just w-wanted t-to congra-gratulate you on y-your relationship w-with N-Na-Naruto-kun." The girl stuttered, tears threatening to fall.

Neji sweatdropped.

"Hinata-sama, I have absolutely no idea of what you're talking about. I have no relationship with Naruto and if I was to ever have a relationship with someone, it wouldn't be with him." Neji stated calmly as she guided her little cousin to the inside of her room and closed the door behind them.

"B-but Ino-san and many others saw you two kissing at Ichiraku's-" Hinata reasoned wide-eyed.

"An accident was all it was, Hinata-sama. If those people had paid more attention they would have noticed how someone bumped into us, the so-called kiss being the result as well as my sore head since we both fell from our seats and it bumped on the floor from the impact."

Hinata's eyes widened even more.

"R-Really?"

"I wouldn't lie to you, my little cousin. Besides, do you really think I would go after him, knowing of your feelings?" Hinata's face reddened. "Or that he would go after me for that matter."

"How did you knew?" Hinata asked tomato red referring to her secret.

"Hinata, dear cousin, I think the only person that doesn't know is Naruto who happens to be the most clueless person in the village." 'Only in some things' Neji inwardly grumbled. 'To notice my ex-bond with Sasuke...'

In that instant Hinata tackled her cousin with a tight embrace which knocked them both on the floor, causing Neji to hit her head again and groan in pain.

Hinata quickly got off her and helped her up.

"I'm so sorry, Onee-san." Hinata apologized before taking out of a pocket a bit of balsam. "I always carry some around just in case." She explained apologetically.

After applying a bit to her head, Neji thanked her and both girls sat on the eldest bed.

"You know. This event reminds me of something that happened on our last day of Academy." Hinata chuckled.

"Is that so?"

"Hai. Naruto-kun and Sasuke were discussing and someone bumped into Naruto, both of them kissing by accident." The shy Hyuga giggled at the memory.

It was Neji's turn to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bookmarks? Kudos? ;D


	12. Somebody That I Used to Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since no one but Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is.
> 
> A/N: Happy Birthday to Neji! :D July 3rd

"Would you like to join me for tea, niece."

Those were the words that Hiashi-sama had spoken to her a month ago. That tea reunion turned out to be a strategy planning one for the upcoming battle. Two months had passed since her leading on the Hyuga troops had been announced.

It felt like a distant memory now, almost like a vanishing dream, those days where training with her team was part of her daily schedule instead of a luxury. With war at the round of a corner, even the sunny days on Konoha seemed to be stressful. When the shinobi weren't preparing for the upcoming battle they spent all of their time with their families and showered them with gifts. The purpose behind it made those happy moments sad since they were with the thought of those moments being their last ones with their beloved ones in mind.

Neji did nothing of the sort. It was futile to try to construct another image of herself on a few weeks, or creating those fear-induced memories in case she didn't saw them again.

"Hey." A hand waved in front of her interrupting her from her musings. "Are you still there?"

"Sorry, I spaced out."

"Wow, this whole war tension has even affected you, Neji. I don't remember the last time you spaced out." Tamaki remarked after giving his onigiri a bite. He had dark bags under his eyes and his sandy hair was messier than before as well as opaque.

"Don't speak nonsense, it's just that…" she began.

"Don't sweat it, I was only kidding besides, everyone is tense nowadays. I'd honestly be worried if you weren't."

The girl sighed and took a bit of her dango as she watched some birds fly away into the sunset.

"Just a day. Wow." Tamaki uttered.

"I know. How is your Granny?"

Tamaki snickered.

"You won't believe it but she's actually regretting having pressured me to become shinobi. With all this war thing she says…" he paused for a moment before casting his eyes down "well, it doesn't matter. I am a shinobi and actually enjoy it."

Neji nodded.

"Just keep in mind that this won't be our last time seeing each other."

"I…know it. But I actually can't help but think, what if…"

"Stop right there. If you go to war with that kind of mentality then those 'if's' will change into 'will's'." The girl interrupted him, her tone serious.

Silence reigned over them. The sun was setting and the dark shadow of war was looming over them. The streets were busy. Almost every family was hanging out at some restaurant or something. The Hyuga clan wasn't. Most of them at least. It bothered her that so many people strived and spent time with their loved ones because of the possibility of not seeing them again. One couldn't allow themselves to go to war like that. Even Hiashi-sama and Hinata-sama had that kind of mentality even if the Clan Head denied it.

Hiashi had taken his two daughters for dinner. Of course, she had been invited, and her cousins had insisted but she her resolution was as firm as a boulder. Then she had encountered Tamaki who was about to grab a bite and they had ended hanging up.

"Still I can't help it. If this really is our last time seeing each other..." he hesitated a bit. "then there's something I must tell you." Tamaki started. His hands were sweating and his gaze was still downcast. Stars were starting to sparkle up in the sky and a small breeze blew giving him shivers. They were eating on a bench at the park so there weren't any walls protecting them. Neji did not fancied crowded places so he brought her there.

"Well, I actually wanted to tell you this since…well, long ago. And…"

"I'm hearing you, Tamaki." Neji stated nonchalantly. 'Obliviousness must be something that runs on the Hyuga blood' the boy thought.

"I really like-" he began.

"Oi, Tamaki, Neji!" a voice interrupted him, startling the boy.

Tenten and Lee were walking towards them, the former waving his hand.

"Oh, hi guys." The Hyuga greeted them.

"We were looking for you. Sakura-chan told us she had seen you two heading towards the park." Lee said with a wide smile.

"We didn't interrupt anything, did we?" Tenten asked teasingly.

"N-not in the least!"

"Actually, yes."

Tenten snickered. Neji turned to the boy with an eyebrow raised.

"Why would you deny it, Tamaki? You were about to tell me something." she asked genuinely curious.

"W-what? Not at all." The boy stuttered, his face red.

"You told me 'I really like' but did not finish your sentence."

Tenten at this widened his eyes and had to bite his fist to stop from laughing.

"Ah yes, I was about to tell you I really like…I really like pumpkin! Yes, I know you don't like it so I hadn't told you so…yeah, I like app- I mean, pumpkins!" Tamaki stated nervously.

Neji sighed.

"Even if I dislike that thing I won't be upset in any way just because you like it."

"Yes, Tamaki-kun! I also like pumpkin and am not afraid of Neji to know it!" Lee stated. "We all can be friends whether we like or dislike something, for example, I like spicy things but my rival here dislikes it, yet we hang out together and…"

"Lee, I think it'd be better if we left…" Tenten started with a snicker.

"Oh, but we were actually looking for you to invite you to grab some dinner with us seeing that tomorrow we…"

"I actually have to go. Tomorrow will be a long day and rest of foremost importance. Good night."

After that Neji left.

Tenten gave Tamaki and apologetic look before patting him on the back.

"You wanna come, man?"

"Yeah."

:.:.:.:.:.:.:

The bandages felt heavy as she wrapped them around her calves and forearms, the soft fabric feeling more like the weights Lee used.

A sigh escaped her soft lips as she gave her room a last look. The door closed behind her as she stepped out of it. Outside, the Bouke members with families were saying their goodbyes. The rest were only waiting for her, the so called commander. She walked to the main gates; the Bouke, slowly realizing this, following behind her. She waited patiently for the ones who had yet to finish packing their things or bidding their goodbyes. They didn't took too long, ten minutes later all the side branch was ready.

Once she gave the order, they sped off.

They met with the small Souke delegation commanded by Hiashi-sama on the outskirts of Konoha. They merged and, with Hiashi at the head, continued their trajectory towards the land of lightning.

Hiashi, the Clan head; Hinata, the Heiress, and Neji, the Commander were at the front. As they ventured into the dense forest surrounding Konoha, the vibrant green leaves started changing into yellow, orange and brown ones; autumn's way of saying 'Here I am.'

It had been, somewhere in this forest where she had met death for the first time face to face. Her limbs had gotten cold and then, she hadn't been able to feel anything except for Death's sweet embrace. All her grief for her father had disappeared that time as well as the feeling of betrayal she felt. She still remembered that pinky promise which had held so much value to her. 'I promise. You know I rather die than break my promises.' Still, he had left the village and abandoned her.

At the moment she wasn't adamant to the motion of giving her life for a comrade, no- the first friend she had ever had but now, the only feeling that predominated now in regards to that memory was shame. How had she been so loyal, devoted or even thought to give up the most precious gift her father had granted her, for what? A traitor that is. He had betrayed the village and her…especially the village, yes.

Neji was going to battle, for Naruto, so mixing emotions would do her no good. When they stopped for the night she closed her eyes and meditated, she cleared her mind from all thoughts. Good and bad. Bitter and joyous. Until all that was left was the mind of a tool, a shinobi. Her purpose was to win and at the moment that was all that mattered.

She shared a tent with Hinata and another female Souke shinobi. Her sleep was dreamless and the next day, after a brief breakfast they continued their way. If they continued with that pace, they would reach their destination by night.

The vegetation slowly began to be scarce, a clear indicator that they were into Otogakure. They crossed the small country with no problems though with the guard high.

"Neji, once we arrive the designed location you'll be in charge of commanding the clan into victory." Her uncle stated the destination just a few hours away.

"Hai, Hiashi-sama." She had answered nonchalantly.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Kumo's scorching sun did nothing to demotivate every single shinobi and samurai there. They had been divided into 5 divisions and those ones into other subdivisions. One of them, the Hyuga one of the second division, was the one lead by her.

The battle began sooner than planned and so they began. Some Hyuga were adamant to her leading them but every trace of doubt was erased once the battle began. White Zetsu's came in hoards, many shinobi not surviving the first attack, most of them were chunins. The second attack resulted in the extermination of most Zetsu's.

"Hinata, stay behind me. You'll be my eyes, okay?" Neji said. Her head was hurting pretty bad for the strain of using the Byakugan. If it wasn't recommended to use it for more than ten minutes, less for an hour ten minutes. She knew that the repercussions could be her inability to perform the Byakugan for a few hours, difficulties on controlling chakra or, in the worst-case scenario, temporary blindness; but she couldn't afford to lose Hinata. For those two hours, she had already seen the corpse of a kunoichi with her guts spilled out, painting the dirt red, and the corpse of a shinobi without a head. They looked to be about their age. Young, inexperienced, naive and still sent to war. That could have been Hinata.

"Neji-oneesan, are you sure you're alright? You can rest a bit, I'll gain you some time."

"I'm perfectly fine, Hinata. Now, eyes on the battle." Neji managed to say through the pounding on her head.

Hinata's worried glance only intensified but did as told anyways.

"Yes, commander."

Neji sighed. She knew Hinata was upset, therefore the use of her title. Still, Neji couldn't help but-

"Neji-oneesan!"

Her guard had lowered and a Zetsu had gotten her from behind. The torso of the Zetsu opened and, with a firm grip, restrained her. She could feel how the Zetsu was managing to steal her chakra –what was left anyways. With a last effort, she freed herself, falling to the ground, gasping for air. She quickly pulled out of her pocket a chakra pill as well as a pain killer and swallowed them with nothing more than her saliva helping them slide through her throat.

"Neji-onee-"

"I'm fine, Hinata. Don't lower your guard."

"If you were fine you wouldn't have pulled out that painkiller. You thought I wouldn't notice."

"Hinata, go back to battle."

"I'm not going anywhere until I make sure you're fine-"

"Hyuga Hinata, as the Commander of the Hyuga Delegation I order you to continue performing your duties to their full extent and…not worrying yourself over other people. Have I made myself clear?"

Hinata glared at her. Hinata's eyes were of the few Hyuga eyes which did not look frightening, but right now, her inner Hyuga was out, giving Neji a glare that could freeze hell over. Still, Neji matched it with her own. If Hinata was not focused solely on herself, then she wouldn't make it alive out of the war.

"Yes, Commander." Were Hinata's cold words before the girl parted from her cousin's side to confront more Zetsu.

Neji sighed once more and pinched the bridge of her nose. The headache was starting to dull but still was there. With a Juuken she quickly blew the head of a Zetsu who was lurking behind her. She would not fall for the same cheap trick again.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

The night covered the battlefield with its dark cloak. The Zetsu had been eradicated long ago and the Hyuga, with their Byakugan, had made sure there were no more around. Hinata had been sent to another point to cover the perimeter along with some other sensory ninja while she had been placed with the Inuzuka.

She had rested and with the help of the painkiller, the headache had disappeared. Ten minutes of rest was more than enough.

Her Byakugan was the one which covered the most distance, therefore she had been placed on a point of vital importance. Neji had been feeling a twinge behind her eyes for some time now but ignored it. She had been on guard for three hours now, resting her eyes for five minutes every twenty. Suddenly, her sight began to blur and her knees felt very week. Cold sweat bullets were rolling down her forehead and the edges of her vision had turned black. The Hyuga fell on the ground.

"Neji, you okay?!" Kiba asked while getting down from his watching post. The girl had managed to put her arms and not fall on her face. Through pants, she answered.

"Yeah…fine."

"Don't kill yourself pal, my nose is here to sniff out the enemy too. Your eyes don't have to do all the work."

'Dammit!' she had overstrained her eyes.

"Let me handle things for a while, you should get to the medic tents and get patched up." Kiba said as he took out a map from his back pocket. "The coordinates are behind the center point of all squads so it shouldn't take you to long to get there."

"I…I'm telling you I'm fine." She said standing up, her legs visibly wobbling.

Kiba only gave her a poker face.

"You know I'm not that stupid, right?"

"Yeah, I forgot you only look like that." She answered while leaning on a rock.

"Hey! I'm not-!" Kiba stopped midsentence before giving her a lop sided grin. "Ha! You thought I would fall for that one, didn't ya! I'm not letting it go, you're not fine."

"That's not true." Neji mumbled. Well, she had tried. Suddenly her legs gave out. She couldn't move any of her limbs. Great.

Kiba watched her with a snicker.

"Well, since you're so fine then stand up."

She glared at him.

"Okay, so maybe I'm not in a perfect condition but all I need is to rest a bit."

"Well, that is better than nothing." Hinata's teammate eyed her. "Akamaru! Come here." The big dog came trotting with its tongue out and stared at Kiba expectantly.

Kiba kneeled and grabbed her limp arm. "Come help me." Kiba called his dog.

"W-what are you doing, Inuzuka!" The girl exclaimed.

"Well, it's pretty obvious you've strained yourself too much and aren't able to move, and I'm pretty sure a patch of dirt isn't the place you would've chosen to rest."

"Y-you're wrong!" she stated, raising her chin. "It actually is very comfortable." Akamaru gave the closest thing a dog could give of a chuckle.

"Ha! See? Not even Akamaru believes you."

She resigned herself and allowed Kiba to drag her to a previously laid mat.

"Hmm…thanks." She mumbled once she had been laid down. "You too, Akamaru." The great dog barked in response.

"Sorry, I did not heard that." Kiba joked.

"Don't make me repeat it, Inuzuka." She warned him.

Kiba only laughed.

"Nah, but really you should go to at least get a checkup."

Neji only closed her eyes.

Kiba went over a stash of covers and pillows and grabbed a pillow. He carefully laid Neji's head on it and sat by her side.

"Ehem, Kiba. You can go now, thanks." The girl said after a few minutes of silence.

"Nope. You clearly aren't well and since you're adamant about going to get a checkup and you're unable to move the enemy could easily sneak in and slit your throat. Besides Hinata and Shino can do an excellent job keeping guard, and even from here my nose works extraordinarily." The boy explained, pointing at his nose proudly.

"Thanks, Kiba." Neji muttered.

She tried to command her body to heal more quickly but 1) she was not Naruto; 2) she did not possessed that ability; 3) she wasn't a medic-nin. The only thing that was left was for her body to take its time which, by the way, was taking extraordinarily long.

Her vision was like a big blur but she did not wanted to admit it. Neji was truly regretting having overused her Kekkei Genkai.

"So, do you wanna-"

"No, Kiba. I don't want to go to the medic tents."

"Oh, okay."

As she laid down, she tried to make her chakra flow easily, opening each of her tenketsu…

"You know, I can let Akamaru carry you towards the medic tents…"

"Thanks but no thanks, Kiba." She responded through gritted teeth.

The Hyuga closed her eyes again and began the meditation, hoping it would help with her chakra flow…

"Are you sure it's alright not heading to the medic tents?"

"You're getting on my nerves, Kiba! I told you I'm fine!"

"When you use your Byakugan too much you get pretty mouthy, huh!" Kiba chuckled. "When a somebody works themselves too much in front of you I call it showing off!"

Well, now he had gotten to her nerves.

"Shut up, Kiba!" she finally exploded, not noticing she had talked to Akamaru instead of the Inuzuka.

"The difference between dogs and humans isn't that weak!" Kiba exclaimed offended. "And your eyesight is supposed to be your specialty!"

"It's not my fault you look like one." She mumbled defensively.

"What?! If you weren't a woman…"

"Hey, I can move my hand again." She interrupted him. It was true, her body was regaining movement again.

A few hours later she was again back on watch. It had taken her an hour to regain complete mobility of her body again, and another hour and a half to be able to activate her Byakugan again. Against Kiba, Hinata and surprisingly some of her clansmen's recommendations, she returned to guard duty.

By the morning, she, along with some others went to sleep while the others fought. It was a few hours after she woke up that the notice that Naruto had joined the ranks reached the Second Division. It was around night when all Hell broke loose.

:.:.:.:.:.:

Everything was black and red, like an everlasting nightmare. The clouds on the sky blocked the stars from shining, the floor was stained with red blood spilling everywhere. A lot of her clansmen scattered on the ground, their bodies tarnished with mud, dry blood, and cuts. Her eyes panicked at the sight, then went to the two figures standing atop the Juubi.

Those wicked souls.

"Neji, eyes on the battle!" Hiashi said behind her.

She nodded and breathed in. This was war. It wasn't another mission.

Then it happened, the HQ Center had disappeared. With her Byakugan she saw it, all that had been left was dust. And Naruto. He looked broken. He wasn't a jonin. He had not been sent to S-ranked missions where your only companion was Death.

"Shikamaru…" Choji started.

"No unnecessary comments now. We're in a battle. The same goes for Ino." Shikamaru's gaze was hard. "We're gonna do what my father said."

He was right.

"What does this mean…?" Naruto asked, his eyes wide and with an expression of pain on his face.

"That you are the key of the strategy." She answered, landing by his side.

"No! I mean, what happened with Shikaku and Inocihi!" Naruto asked, worry painted on his face.

She only stared at him, trying to convey what happened with her eyes. Words had escaped her mouth.

Suddenly someone screamed behind them. One of the…tails? Hands? Of the tailed beast was on the battlefield.

"Neji! Spin right!" her uncle ordered.

At once, both of them performed the Kaiten forcing the hand to retreat.

She turned her head and saw Naruto staring at them in awe.

"Don't space out, Naruto!" Neji called him out of his trance. "We're in a battle and we are fighting!"

"Some people may die." Her uncle addressed the blond boy. Naruto looked ready to argue, but Hiashi spoke first. "But if we lose this fight, everyone will die."

It only took those simple words for the fighting spirit to return to the boy's eyes. "Of course…I know!"

"I'm sure that Shikamaru and Ino's fathers are happy that they passed away before their children." She stated. "Like my father."

Neji could feel Hiashi's gaze but ignored it. Her father. Why was she remembering him, after all that time?

In the middle of the battlefield, screaming and blood all around her she remembered her deceased father for the first time in a long time. He had always been on the back of her mind now she noticed. The wind was cold, the dust dry and her lips were chapped. Her hair was dirty and so was her skin. Her body had some wounds, the pounding on her head was beginning and her limbs ached. Still, the tears threatened to fall because of her father after so many years. None of it mattered. She was going to fight for the peace her dad had given his life for.

"For this strategy, we need your power!" she said, her voice firm. "In order to make it successful!"

Then her cousin was by her side.

"We will protect Naruto-kun to the end!" her voice rose above the rest.

"Hinata…!" Naruto exclaimed astonished.

'Only now are you beginning to notice it, Naruto?'

"Be careful!" Hiashi's commanding voice spoke. "The Hyugas are the strongest of the Leaf."

With her Byakugan activated she could see Naruto's expression. Only a few seconds had passed when the rain started. The rain of spears.

The ones that had been caught off guard were already laying on the floor dead, the rest were trying to look for a hiding place, but in the dessert, there was nowhere to hide. Some were heading towards Naruto's direction so she used her Kaiten but it wasn't strong enough. She had yet to completely recuperate from the overuse of her bloodline limit. 'Damn. My Kaiten isn't fast enough'

"Thanks, Neji! I was able to enter hermit mode!" Naruto spoke behind her, already forming several Rasen-shuriken and throwing them towards the enemy.

'That'll give some time.'

She deflected some spears that were heading her way, but the girl was already running out of chakra. She rested her hands on her knees, trying to regain her breath and panting. Neji wasn't sure why but she raised her head, her Kekkei Genkai activated.

Naruto was on the floor, exhausted; Hiashi had deflected a tail; Hinata was in front of Naruto in an instant and then her eyes saw the wooden damned things.

It all moved in slow motion. Her body moved before her mind even ordered it, her muscles burned as she sped off surpassing her limits and then jumped.

.

.

.

.

She waited for the inevitable pain with her eyes closed. They never came. The next instant Neji was again on the ground, except her feet weren't touching the floor.

Had it been an angel? Was it just a hallucination before it all ended or was it her father who was carrying her?

She opened her eyes and her gaze locked with cold, black as coal, eyes. Everything seemed to be in silence.

Her eyes widened and her furrow deepened.

"Sasuke."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bookmarks? Kudos? Comments? :D

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos? Bookmarks? Comments? :)


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